A Forgotten Life
by christina2439
Summary: What if all of Elena's friends and what is left of her family decide it's best that she be made to forget about her love for Stefan and Damon, as well as any supernatural being that inhabits the earth? Will her life be as happy and carefree as everyone thinks it will? Will Damon be able to let her go?
1. Prologue - Chapter 1

_**AN: This story takes place after Stefan was compelled to turn off his humanity switch in Season 3 of The Vampire Diaries. The story goes along with everything leading up to that point. Stefan gave himself up to save Damon but in the process ended up pushing Elena further and further away. Elena and Damon spend months trying to chase after Stefan to get him back but when they would catch up with him he would treat them both badly. On the night Stefan turned off his humanity my story implies that Stefan not only physically tortured Elena, he was emotionally abusive as well. He was at the point of killing her when Damon and Alaric arrive to save Elena as well as capture Stefan and at that point they start the process to make him turn his humanity back. So pretty much after Stefan turns off his humanity my story doesn't follow along with the events on TVD.**_

 _ ***Characters belong to LJ Smith.**_

 **PROLOGUE**

 **DAMON**

I couldn't believe what I was about to do. My mind was waging war against my heart. Everyone had agreed that this would be the best for Elena. Well, everyone but Elena. She didn't have a clue what was about to happen, what I was about to do to her, for her. It was my gift to this beautiful wonderful girl that I loved more than I had ever loved a single soul in my life. It was the most unselfish thing I would ever do and it was killing the part of me that still felt anything. The only part of me that I hadn't already shut off from the world.

It was late, the sky was dark with only a sliver of the moon visible, when I slipped into her bedroom window. I stood by the bed watching her sleep, her chest rising and falling slowly, her heart beating steadily. I gently brushed a lock of her brown hair off her face. With the speed I was blessed to have as a vampire I removed her vervain infused necklace hiding it under her pillow. I laid down in the bed beside her, laying on my side facing her.

"Elena" I whispered softly, not wanting to wake up Jeremy or Alaric. Although I was pretty sure Alaric was still awake. He was trying to be quiet but his breathing wasn't deep and even like Jeremy's. They both knew what I was doing tonight. Alaric knew more than anyone what this meant for me, how this would affect me. He had always been rooting for me to "get the girl". That possibility would irrevocably end tonight.

Elena mumbled in her sleep, rolling onto her side facing me. Our faces inches apart and I wanted more than anything to kiss her. She was still technically Stefan's girl, even after everything he had done lately. He was the reason that I was here about to do something that was breaking my heart.

"Elena" I gently stroked her cheek.

"Damon?" She slowly opened her chocolate brown eyes and looked sadly into mine.

Stefan had wounded her not just physically but emotionally when he had attacked her a couple of nights ago at the high school. She finally met the monster that Stefan had always tried to keep hidden. With his emotions off he was cruel, taking great satisfaction in causing pain and fear. I had never seen Stefan terrorize anyone to the degree than he had her. Thankfully, Alaric was there to help, it took both of us to save Elena and to capture Stefan.

Elena deserved a better life than this. A chance at a long happy future without all the complications that Stefan and I brought into her life. I had to give this to her even though everything in me was screaming to hold her tight and never let her go.

"Hey…" I gave her my best smirk.

Her lips turned up into a sleepy smile. "What are you doing here?"

"I like watching you sleep. It's better entertainment than anything on late night tv."

"Damon… Seriously." She smiled at me even though her tone was impatient.

"You ok?" My ice blue eyes searching hers.

She sighed softly, her eyes looking down for a minute before looking back at mine. "He's gone Damon. And I… we just have to accept it."

"I know." We laid there both deep in thought for a while. With a sigh I knew it was time. I looked deep into her eyes. I had to know something first and it was unfair to do it, but I needed to know.

"Elena, tell me the truth, do you have feelings for me?" I knew my compulsion was working, I saw her pupils dilate as she lost herself in my eyes.

"Yes."

"Are you in love with me?"

"Yes, Damon. But I love Stefan too."

"I know." I hesitated for only a second. "I'm going to kiss you now."

"Ok"

I leaned forward and brought my lips to hers softly, slowly deepening the kiss as our lips moved together. I nipped at her bottom lip and heard a soft moan at the back of her throat. I ran my tongue over bottom lip and she let me slip it into her mouth. Our tongues moved together with a building urgency. I reveled in the taste of her mouth, the feel of her lips, her hand in my hair. All too soon I pulled away, separating our lips and stared back into her beautiful eyes. We were both breathing heavily and I could hear Elena's heart beating wildly in her chest.

"I love you Elena. I always will. But now I need you to forget your feelings for me. You know me only as Stefan's older brother. Stefan is an ex-boyfriend from high school that you knew you didn't love and he wasn't the right one for you so you broke it off, with no regrets and no looking back. " I paused to keep my voice from cracking and to wipe away the tear that slipped down my cheek.

"You will not remember that there are supernatural beings in the real world, they are just make believe things from the movies or tv. You won't remember anything about Klaus or Elijah. Your Aunt Jenna died from an animal attack in the woods. You only need to know that you have a bright happy future ahead of you. You will graduate high school and move away to college. One day you will meet a wonderful man who will sweep you off your feet. You will be happy and live your life to the fullest." I paused wondering if there was anything else I should say. My lips slowly turned up into a smirk.

"Always remember to not trust anyone named Klaus. Now go back to sleep my sweet Elena." She nodded closing her eyes. With vampire speed I put her necklace back around her neck and jumped out her window. I stood underneath her window for an hour listening to her breathing, memorizing her scent and locking away the memory of our kiss for safe keeping. It would have to last me for the rest of my immortal life.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed.

"Damon?"

"Hey blondie, it's done." I was about to hang up when Caroline started speaking.

"I'm sorry Damon. I know how hard it must have been for you. But it really is the best thing for her."

"Yeah, I know." I hung up, pushing away from the side of Elena's house silently saying my last goodbye.


	2. Just a Dream - Chapter 2

**4 Years Later.**

 **Elena**

"Come on Elena, this is the last spring break of our college lives! Soon we will be too busy with our boring adult lives to be able to go have fun. Think of how awesome it would be to visit New Orleans this time of year! All the people. the bars, the parties, this is our last chance to be carefree college girls who can stay out all night, drink as much as we want, and dance with every random hot guy we see. Please?!"

"Okay, fine! I guess that does sound like fun and I could use some mindless fun after all this midterm studying." I smiled at Caroline, one of my best friends.

She hugged me excitedly. "We are going to have so much fun!"

"I wish Bonnie could go." I sighed

"Me too, but her Dad wanted her to go on some family trip over spring break."

I hadn't been back to Mystic Falls much since Bonnie, Caroline and I had left for Whitmore College just after graduation. A few days at Christmas and Thanksgiving each year had been the extent of my visits. Summers I split my time between a part time job at a coffee shop near the college and a few internships. Whenever I was home I felt restless and ready to go back to school as soon as possible. Alaric had been a wonderful influence on Jeremy who was now in Colorado going to art school. After Jeremy graduated and moved away my visits back home pretty much stopped. I loved Alaric like a father but I knew he was moving on and dating. When I was around I think he felt guilty about going on a date or bringing a woman home because of my Aunt Jenna. I had tried to reassure him several times that it was okay but I could tell it still made him a little uncomfortable when I was there.

The last time I visited was about a year ago. I hadn't told him ahead of time to expect me because I hadn't planned to go home, but I needed some old pictures for a class project I was working on. I let myself into the house, dropping my bag and jacket by the door. His car wasn't in the driveway so I knew he wasn't home. I went upstairs to my room to find the pictures I needed. As I was going through my box of pictures I had the sudden feeling I was being watched. I turned towards my bedroom door. Leaning against the doorframe was someone who looked slightly familiar. It took me a minute to place him.

" _Damon? Stefan_ ' _s brother, right?_ " _He looked at me and something flashed in his eyes but he covered it before I could figure out what it was. His black hair perfectly set off his ice blue eyes, which at the moment were looking at me like they wanted to devour me. For a moment, I thought I might like to be devoured by this man. As if reading my thoughts he smiled a devilish grin._

" _Hello Elena._ " _There was a hint of something in his voice. It almost sounded wistful._

 _I smiled at him._ " _Is Ric here?_ " _Ric was what Alaric's closest friends called him. I was pretty sure Damon would know who I was talking about._

" _He had to step out for a minute. He should be back soon._ "

" _Oh okay. He wasn_ ' _t expecting me. I have a project and needed some of my old pictures._ "

" _Need any help?_ "

" _Thanks, but I think I got what I need._ " _I held up a thick stack of pictures._

 _I looked around my room. It still looked the same as it did when I was in high school. Pictures of my parents littered my dresser. My mirror had pictures of Jenna and Jeremy taped to it. My tattered teddy bear still leaned against the pillows on my bed. My bookcase had one shelf dedicated to cheerleading. A picture of Bonnie, Caroline and I in our uniform at a football game was sitting between my pom poms along with a couple of trophies from competitions we competed in._

 _I went to my jewelry box on my dresser. Caroline had made me promise to bring back my matching sapphire necklace and earring set. She was going on a date this weekend and wanted to borrow them. I found the earrings but the necklace was tangled with several other necklaces. Sighing in exasperation I pulled out the jumbled mess and one of the necklaces fell to the floor. I bent to pick it up but Damon was already there. He stood up holding the necklace out in front of him. It was a plain necklace with a silver pendant. Stefan had given it to me when we were in high school. I stopped wearing it shortly after we broke up and I hadn't really thought about it since._

" _Your brother gave me that. You can give it back to him if you want. I haven't worn it in years._ " _I shrugged and went back to trying to untangle the other necklaces._

" _Don_ ' _t you want to keep it for nostalgic sake?_ "

" _Um. No. Not really. Stefan was great and all but he wasn_ ' _t some great love story that I will tell my grandkids about one day._ "

 _Damon looked at me for a minute._ " _Do you want help with that?_ " _He pointed towards the necklaces in my hand._

" _Sure if you want. I just seem to be making it worse._ " _I handed the jumbled mess to him and before long he had them all untangled._ " _Wow, I would have been here for a week trying to do that. Thanks!_ "

 _He laughed._ " _Welcome._ " _He abruptly stood up and walked out of the room._

 _When I went back downstairs to greet Ric, Damon had apparently already left. I ended up staying overnight. Ric and I along with his new girlfriend Jo went out for a late dinner and by the time we got back home it was too late for me to make the long drive back to school._

 _Damon was featured prominently in my dreams that night. They weren_ ' _t steamy dreams though. We were laying, fully clothed, facing each other on my bed and we just talked. He asked me a lot of questions about school and life in general. While I talked he played with a strand of my hair. It felt nice to talk to him like that._

 _The past several years I had felt like something was missing in my life. Obviously, I had my two best friends Bonnie and Caroline to talk to at school. At home there was Jeremy and Ric who were my family, I loved them all but I always felt a little off. I had a hole that nobody was ever able to fill but In my dream that night, that hole was filled and I woke up feeling happier than I had in a very long time._

I pushed that memory away and forced myself into the present. Now that college graduation was quickly approaching I wasn't sure what my plans were. Caroline and Bonnie were moving back to Mystic Falls but I didn't feel the pull to go back. I thought maybe I would go to Colorado to see Jeremy for a while.

After my last visit home the feeling that I was missing something was harder to ignore. I had several more dreams of Damon. They were always the same, him laying beside me asking about my life. He seemed very interested in my dating life, not that there was much to talk about. I refused to date, nobody interested me and I didn't want the distraction from school. Every time I woke up after having one of the dreams I swore I could still smell Damon's cologne in my room and on my pillow. I figured I must have a very vivid imagination if I could conjure up his scent when I was awake.

I had told Bonnie and Caroline about a couple of the dreams but they weren't aware of the frequency I was having them. Or the fact that I had come to look forward to falling asleep so dream Damon and I could hang out. I even worried about my own sanity at times. It was extremely weird how much I looked forward to and wished every night for a Damon dream.


	3. New Orleans - Chapter 3

"Elena come on! The sooner you pack the sooner we can be allowing gorgeous men to buy us drinks."

I giggled. It had been a week since I agreed to go to New Orleans with her on our spring break. Caroline had spent the week talking of nothing but this trip. "Okay, okay Care." I quickly packed the necessary clothes and toiletries. Carolyn called us a cab and I had just zipped up my suitcase when we saw it pull up outside. Locking the door to our apartment behind us Carolyn and I rushed out and loaded our suitcases into the cab and we zipped to the airport to catch our flight.

Once we had checked into our hotel Caroline and I changed clothes, redid our make up and hair. I had to admit I was excited to let loose and have some fun. It had been too long. We walked to a nearby club. The music was so loud inside I could hear it a couple of blocks away. It was a Saturday night so the place was packed but we managed to find our way to the dance floor as soon as we got inside. We joined the crowd swaying and bouncing to the fast beat. I danced with a few guys but I melted into the crowd around us if they tried to make any type of move.

We stumbled out of the club a few hours later slightly drunk, okay maybe a lot drunk, sweaty and giggly. I walked ahead of Caroline, twirling and moving to the music that was still blasting at us from the club. "That was fun Care! I'm glad you forced me to come." I laughed.

She laughed "See I told you this would be fun. Hey Elena look…"

I was walking backwards and bumped into something solid that I assumed was a wall. I fell forward and would have landed on the sidewalk in front of me but a pair of strong arms caught me. I giggled, turning to see who was helping me up.

"Elena?"

I looked up at the painfully gorgeous man who was holding me in his arms. His dark eyes had a depth that pulled me in instantly and his hair was the perfect shade of brown. He looked slightly familiar but I didn't think I knew him. If my brain hadn't been fuzzy from all the alcohol I had consumed I might have been more freaked out that he had called me by my name.

"How…" Before I could finish Caroline spoke up.

"Elijah! How are you?" She flashed him a smile.

"I am well and I see we have some catching up to do." He gave me a pointed look that I didn't understand.

Caroline giggled nervously.

"May I escort you ladies back to where you are staying?"

"Sure, thanks." Caroline nodded.

I was exhausted by the time we got back to our hotel. Caroline and Elijah seemed to want to talk so I excused myself to go up the room.

 **ELIJAH**

I watched Elena until the hotel elevator doors closed before I turned to Caroline.

"How is it that Elena seemed to have no idea who I was?"

"After Klaus's failed sacrifice that killed Jenna and then Stefan attacking Elena after he turned off his emotions, we all decided that it would be best to compel Elena to forget some stuff so that she could have a chance at a normal happy life."

"Interesting. And who decided this was what was best?"

"Well, everyone. Jeremy, me, Alaric, Bonnie… Damon."

"Damon agreed to go along with this?" My eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Damon is the one that compelled her."

I was surprised to hear Damon actually went along with this idea. I had seen how much he cared for Elena. I would have assumed he would have refused to be apart of it so that he could be a part of her life.

"So what exactly was she compelled to forget?"

"She doesn't remember her feelings for Damon. She thinks that Stefan was just a high school boyfriend who she broke up with when she decided he wasn't the one. She doesn't know that vampires, witches or werewolves really exist. She doesn't remember anything to do with you or Klaus. Um.. She thinks Jenna was killed by a wild animal. Damon said he also said a bunch of stuff about her moving away to go to college and being happy and living a fulfilled life."

"Is she happy?"

"Sometimes I think she is but other times I wonder. She never dates and doesn't socialize a lot. She spends most of her time studying and rarely goes home to visit. She doesn't seem unhappy though." Caroline sighed.

I nodded. "How long will you be staying here?"

"Six days. It's our last college spring break."

"I would like for you to arrange for me to escort Elena to a party my family is throwing on Wednesday evening. I will arrange a date for you as well."

"Elijah, I'm not sure that's a good idea. The history with Klaus for one but also she, unlike the rest of us, is blissfully unaware of the supernatural and let's face it, your family is supernatural central."

"I will inform my family of Elena's lack of knowledge and I promise you they will be on their best behavior. She will be under my protection."

"What type of party?"

"It is a formal ball to celebrate one of my siblings return. I will send you and Elena something to wear."

"Okay. So long as everyone behaves."

I smiled at her. "You have my word."

 **CAROLINE**

When I got up to our room Elena was already passed out on her bed fast asleep. I quietly made my way to the bathroom and closed the door. I checked my phone and saw three text messages.

 _Bonnie:_ _Wish I was with you guys. Miss U!_

 _Damon: Having fun?_

 _Damon: Please be careful in Original territory._

I sent a quick text to Bonnie. _Miss U too._ I stared at Damon's text. I couldn't decide if I should tell Damon about running in to Elijah. I sighed, if I told him he would demand we leave New Orleans and how would I explain that to Elena? If I refused to leave he would just come here and kidnap us or something stupid like that. Again, how would we explain that to Elena? Elijah had given his word and I really wanted to go to the party.

 _Lots of drunk fun, you would have been proud. Will be careful._

I smiled, satisfied with my response. I hadn't lied. We would be careful. Just not as careful as he would want us to be, as in total avoidance of all things Klaus or Elijah. My phone beeped as I washed my face.

 _Damon: Any guys part of her drunk fun?_

 _Damon: Don_ ' _t answer that._

I smiled. When Stefan had finally turned his humanity switch back on he had sadly accepted that Elena was gone from his life. He was doing his best to move on. Damon was a different story. As far as I knew he hadn't dated or spent any romantic time with anyone else. He kept tabs on Elena through me.

 _No guys. She did dance with some but as per usual when they tried to get her number or make a move she shut it down._ I knew if I didn't answer he would sit at home and torture himself thinking of Elena with another guy. I shut off my phone and crawled into my bed.


	4. Interested - Chapter 4

**ELENA**

"Who was that guy last night? Elijah?" Caroline and I sat in a little diner having breakfast.

"Oh he is a friend of mine. I have known him for a few years."

"How did he know my name?"

"You're my best friend, so obviously I talk about you to my other friends. I am sure I probably showed him your picture on my phone or something. Which was how he recognized you last night."

I shrugged. "You never told me about him. I would have thought you would have mentioned someone like him."

"What do you mean someone like him?" Caroline watched me, her face filled with curiosity.

"Gorgeous. You always talk about the gorgeous ones."

She laughed. "You think he is gorgeous?"

"Yeah, don't you?" I tried to hide my smile.

"He is gorgeous but he isn't really my type. However, he invited us to party hosted by his family Wednesday evening. He wants me to arrange for him to escort you." Caroline watched me carefully.

Ever since we got to Whitmore Caroline had been bugging me to go out on dates. She had dragged me to more parties that I can count and tried to set me up with any number of guys. No guy had ever sparked my interest enough to make me want to sit through more than one dinner with them. Until now that is. There was something about Elijah and it wasn't just his looks, although that didn't hurt. There had been a depth in his eyes and I found myself wanting to dive into the depth to find out more about him.

"He wants to be my date?" A jolt of excitement flowed through my body.

"Are you interested?" Caroline's face showed her increasing excitement at my interest.

"It might be fun?"

"Elena Gilbert, are you actually agreeing to go on an actual date? With a guy?" Caroline stared wide eyed at me.

I started to blush. "Yes, I guess I am."

That night Caroline had gotten us invited to a frat party at one of the local colleges. It wasn't as fun as the club had been. Too many clingy frat boys and the alcohol availability wasn't as good. Monday night we went to a club a little further away from our hotel. It was a pretty good night but Tuesday night we decided to go back to the club we had gone to our first night in New Orleans. It wasn't as busy as it was on Saturday but there was still a good crowd.

 **DAMON**

I stayed hidden in the shadows watching Elena move her body to the music. The more drinks she had the more her body willingly moved with the beat. Her inhibitions loosening allowing her to let go and feel the music. Without noticing I was doing it I crept closer to the dance floor, closer to her. I was the moth and she was my flame pulling me towards her.

"Damon!?" I rolled my eyes when the familiar voice called my name.

"Hey Blondie. Fancy meeting you here." I smirked at her.

"What are you doing here?" She glared at me accusingly.

"You made it sound like so much fun that I thought I would come see for myself." I shrugged gulping down the rest of my drink. I started to walk towards Elena but Caroline grabbed my arm.

"Damon you shouldn't be here. We all agreed, for her sake!"

"Relax Caroline. Look at her she is more drunk than I have ever seen her. She won't remember I was even here."

"Damon, you are torturing yourself. It will only make it worse." She looked at me her eyes filled with pity.

"What can I say, I'm a masochist." I walked away from Caroline and pushed my way through the crowded dance floor towards Elena.

I joined Elena allowing my body to sway and bounce in rhythm with hers to the beat of the music. The strobe lights illuminating us in the various colors. She allowed me to get up close. Our bodies bumping and touching as we moved. I grabbed her hands and placed them on my shoulders as our hips were grinding together. She looked up at me and smiled, not just any smile, it was the smile she used to give me when I said something totally ridiculous that would piss most people off but Elena always found humor in. My heart ached, god I missed this girl more than I thought possible.

She turned her body so her ass was pressed against my groin. Her arms were above her head as she moved her body against mine, rubbing me in all the right places. She leaned her head back resting it against my shoulder as my hands grabbed her hips, holding them against mine as we danced. My nose was buried in her hair, she still smelled the same as I remembered. There was also a strong bourbon smell coming off her skin, the mixture was intoxicating. Losing myself in the moment I moved my head down and kissed her neck. She immediately stiffened and moved away from me. I tried to pull her back but she managed to get away and disappear into the sea of bodies.

Sighing I walked over to the bar and ordered another drink. I scanned the dance floor until I spotted Elena. I watched her for a while. Just as Caroline had said Elena would dance with a guy for a while but once he got too intimate or tried to move in for a kiss she would quickly move away from him. I chugged the rest of my drink and headed for the exit. I had tortured myself enough for one night. I got into my car and headed for home.

 **ELENA**

Wednesday morning I was woken up by a knock at the door. Caroline was softly snoring in her bed so I drug myself out of the bed and made my way to the door. The bell man was standing patiently with two large white boxes.

"These were delivered a few minutes ago." He handed me the boxes.

"Thank you. Who are they from?"

"There is a note taped to each box. It will probably explain." He smiled before turning away and walking towards the elevators.

I let the door close and put the boxes on the little dining table. The top box had an envelope with Caroline's name. I slid the other box out from under her's and carried it to my bed. I sat cross legged on the bed and pealed the envelope with my name off the box.

 _Elena,_

 _Thank you for allowing me to escort you to my family_ ' _s party tonight. I hope you don_ ' _t mind but I took the liberty of buying you a dress for the occasion. It_ ' _s a formal affair and I didn't think you or Caroline would have brought a ball gown with you. I will pick you up at your hotel at 7pm. I look forward to see you then._

 _Always,_

 _Elijah_

I carefully opened the lid and sat open mouth staring at the gown as I lifted it out of the box. It was a strapless turquoise dress with a sweetheart neckline. The bodice was covered in multi-colored gems. It kind of reminded me of a mermaid. The bottom of the dress was gathered at the waist and then the turquoise satin and tulle material flowed lightly down to the floor. Inside the box I found a cloth bag with coordinating heels and another bag with a simple necklace and earrings set.

"Elena that is beautiful! Is it from Elijah?"

I nodded. "Yours is on the table." I smiled as Caroline almost fell out of bed in her rush to see her dress.

Caroline's dress was also strapless and floor length, but hers was a dark blue. Around the waist was a silver sequin belt that would accentuate her tiny waistline. She had silver heals and matching jewelry as well.

We spent the rest of the morning and afternoon in our room. We took turns showering and painting each other's nails. The closer it got to the time when Elijah was going to pick us up the more excited I got. Caroline helped curl my hair before she skillfully pinned most of it up in a loose up do, leaving several pieces down to frame my face. While Caroline worked on her own hair I did my make up. At seven we made our way down to the lobby of the hotel. Elijah and a taller blonde man were waiting. I barely noticed the blonde man my attention was fully on Elijah. He had on an expensive looking black tux. His hair was perfectly styled and I didn't think I had ever seen a more handsome man. I smiled shyly at him and he smiled softly back offering his arm. I placed my hand under his arm.

"You look stunning Elena." Elijah looked deeply into my eyes.

I blushed. "Thank you for the dress and well, everything."

"It is my pleasure."

"Well brother, aren't you going to introduce me to your deliciously beautiful date?"

I reluctantly pulled my eyes away from Elijah to look at the blonde man standing in front of me. I involuntarily tightened my grip on Elijah's arm. Something about this man made me nervous. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Elijah watching me.

"Elena this is my brother Niklaus."

I forced a smile. "It is nice to meet you, Niklaus."

"You can call me Klaus, love." He seemed amused by something but I couldn't for the life of me figure out why a simple introduction would be so amusing.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Klaus, something about that name bothered me. I instantly knew this was not a man I could trust or wanted to spend any amount of time alone with. Thankfully, his full attention turned to Caroline.

"Caroline, you look lovely as usual. It's been too long since I have seen you." I watched as Klaus took Caroline's hand in his and raised it to his lips, kissing it soflty all the while keeping his eyes on hers. Caroline smiled seductively at him. I was going to ask her about Klaus later. She obviously knew him but I had never heard of him before and it was unlike Caroline to not spill details about the guys she dated or thought were hot.

Elijah led me out to his waiting car, helping me into the front passenger seat before going around the car to slide into the drivers seat. Klaus and Caroline slipped into the back seat. Thankfully it was a short ride. I wasn't sure what to talk about and I was feeling on edge being in such close proximity to Klaus. I could hear Caroline and Klaus talking quietly in the backseat. I only heard snippets that made no sense to me.

"compulsion… Damon…"

"Didn't recognize… He must have said something about me… Did you see reaction?"

I looked up at Elijah, even though his eyes were on the road I could tell he was watching me out of the corner of his eye. I looked down at my hands. I couldn't get rid of the feeling that I knew him somehow. He felt familiar to me, unlike with his brother I felt comfortable with him and I knew I could trust him.

Once we arrived at Elijah's house, Caroline and Klaus disappeared into the crowd leaving Elijah and I alone. I felt myself relax slightly. Elijah led me inside the massive house. It looked almost medieval with its thick grey stone exterior and wooden doors. Once we stepped inside I was instantly in awe of the decor. There were several large paintings in each room that Elijah led me through. I noticed what looked like expensive antique pieces of furniture.

"You have a beautiful home. I love how it's decorated."

"It's been in our family for many centuries and most of the paintings and more valuable antiques have been passed down through the family."

Elijah grabbed us both a glass of champagne from a tray one of the waiters offered him. He handed me one of the glasses. My fingers lightly brushed his as I took the glass. It felt like a jolt of electricity had shot through my finger into my hand and up my arm. My heart sped up as I brought the glass to my lips trying to sip and not chug down the sweet champagne. Elijah kept his eyes on me as he sipped his drink.

"Would you like to dance?"

I looked over his shoulder at the other couples who were dancing. This wasn't the same kind of crazy let your hair down kind of dancing Caroline and I enjoyed at a club. This was very formal ballroom waltzes. I suddenly felt nervous. "I'd love to. I don't know what kind of dance partner I will be though. I'm not very good at waltzing."

Elijah took my hand. "Lucky for you I am quite skilled and an excellent leader."

Once we were on the dance floor he wrapped one arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him. I inhaled sharply as our bodies came together. I put one hand on his shoulder while he firmly held my other hand in his. He hadn't been lying when he said he was a good dancer. He skillfully led me around the dance floor for several songs. While we danced he asked me questions about school and my plans for after graduation.

"Will you go back to Mystic Falls after you finish school?"

"I don't know. Caroline and Bonnie plan to move back but I don't really know if that is home for me anymore. I thought about going to Colorado to see my brother for a while but after that I'm not sure. Maybe I will travel, see a bit of the world. I have barely been out of Virginia."

"You should travel, see more of what the world has to offer. I could even suggest some places for you to visit."

"Have you traveled a lot?" He seemed like the type of guy who had seen a lot of the world.

"Yes, I have been to many places in my life."

"Maybe one day I can say the same." I smiled up at him.

I let him lead me away from the dance floor. He pulled me out a side door onto a quiet veranda. We can still hear the music softly playing from behind the door. I lean against the stone railing staring up at the stars. A cool breeze is gently tickling my neck causing me to shiver slightly.

"I would like to see you again." Elijah stared down at me seriously.

"We are only here a few more days and then we fly back to Whitmore." My voice sounded almost sad.

"I find myself in your area frequently and if you would be interested I would like to take you to dinner next time I am in town."

"I would like that." I smiled softly.

The rest of the evening was like a dream. We danced in-between finding quiet spots to talk about anything and everything. He maked me laugh and smile more than I had in a long time. The part of me that has always felt like something was missing didn't feel quite so empty. At the end of the night Elijah drove me back to my hotel. Caroline was presumably off with Klaus and Elijah assured me he would make sure she got safely back to the hotel eventually. He walked me all the way to my room.

"I had a wonderful time Elijah. It was probably the best night I have had in years. Thank you."

"I had a wonderful time too and I look forward to our dinner date in the future."

He looked down at me for a moment and I could feel myself getting lost in the dark depths of his eyes. Slowly he leaned down bringing his lips to mine. His kiss was soft and hesitant as if he was waiting to see how I responded. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer. He sucked on my bottom lip and a soft moan escaped from between my lips. He pushed my back against the door to my room as our lips moved together. His hands wrapped around my waist and our bodies were pressed together tightly. His tongue traced the edge of my lower lip and my mouth opened allowing him entrance.

My body was tingling in the most delicious way. Our tongues moved together and I loved the feel of his warm breath against my mouth, I can still taste the sweetness of the champagne on his tongue. My fingers buryed themselves in his hair. I felt like my heart was going to burst out of my chest it was beating so fast and hard. Elijah slowly pulled away and I sighed sadly when our lips separated. He smiled knowingly down at me. His fingers softly traced the side of my face and jaw.

"I should let you get some sleep." He sounded reluctant to leave.

"You could stay, here, with me." My brain still foggy from the effects of the kiss and my body yearning for more.

"I would love nothing more than to stay with you tonight but I think I will leave you something to look forward to when I visit you at Whitmore." He smiled at me devilishly.

"I will say good night then. Thank you again."

"Good night, Elena." He leaned down and softly kissed my lips once more before turning to leave.

Smiling I let myself into my room and softly closed the door.

The next morning I woke up just in time to see Caroline trying to sneak in.

"Somebody must have had a good time last night." I giggled when Caroline jumped and let out a high pitched squeal.

"Elena! Don't scare me like that!" She grined widely.

"So, Klaus, huh?"

"I know, I know. He is terrible. But I cant help myself. He is just so gorgeous and charming."

"How come this is the first time I have ever heard of him? You guys seemed to know each other and Caroline you aren't one for keeping secrets, especially not about gorgeous charming men."

"I don't know. Maybe I was ashamed to admit I liked someone like him. I didn't want to see the judging looks. Like the one you are wearing right now."

"Sorry." I tried to make my face relax into a more neutral expression. "I just don't know what it was but there was something about him that made me wary. So as your best friend it is my duty to warn you to be careful with this one. But I will do my best to be supportive."

Caroline smiled. "Don't worry Elena. I will be careful and besides it not as if I am marrying the man. We just had a little fun." She wiggled her eyebrows at me.

"Ew! Caroline!" I threw my pillow at her as she ran into the bathroom.


	5. A Second Date - Chapter 5

Elijah showed up Friday afternoon to drive Caroline and I to the airport for our flight back home. I had to admit that when I saw him waiting for us outside the hotel my stomach instantly filled with butterflies and my heart sped up. When he pulled up and parked in the drop off area of the airport I started to feel the old emptiness creep back in. As we say our goodbyes, Elijah looked at me and I can tell from his expression he understands how I am feeling. I lower my eyes from him so he can't see how sad I am to leave him behind. He placed his hands tenderly on either side of my face and lifted my eyes back up to his.

"I will see you in two weeks. I promised you a dinner."

Nodding I smile. "I am looking forward to it." He pulled my lips to his and kissed me softly on the lips before releasing my head. I watched as he walked to the drivers side of his car and quickly got in before pulling away from the curb.

"Wow, that was some goodbye." I had forgotten Caroline was still standing beside me. In truth I had forgotten we were standing in front of a crowded airport. "Let's go check in and get something to eat while we wait to board our flight."

By the time we got back to our apartment I was ready to pass out. The long delays with our flight plus all the activity of our trip was catching up with me. I took a shower and put on a pair of pj bottoms along with the black t-shirt that I always slept in, before dragging myself onto my bed and collapsing.

The next two weeks flew by thanks to school keeping me so busy I hardly had time to think about anything else. Elijah and I texted a little each day and he called a couple of times. When the night of our date finally arrived I was a bundle of nerves. Caroline kept sighing in exasperation at me.

"Elena! If you don't hold still I will never finish your hair."

"Sorry, I'm trying but…"

"I know. There all done." She turned me towards the bathroom mirror. "What do you think?"

I studied myself in the mirror. My hair hung down my back in large soft curls, on either side of my head a small section of my hair had been pulled up and pinned in place. "Perfect! Thank you." I smiled at my best friend and gave her a quick hug before heading into my room to get dressed. Caroline and Bonnie had picked out my outfit almost the minute we got back from New Orleans two weeks ago. The black sleeveless maxi dress had a deep v neck that showed off just the right amount of cleavage. The material gathered snuggly at the waist and then flowed loosely down to the floor. My olive skin was perfectly accentuated by the black material. I slid my feet into a pair of gold sandals. I was just putting on my jewelry when I heard a knock on the door.

"I'll get it!" Caroline rushed for the door. "Hello Elijah, Elena will be ready in just a sec. Come on in."

After one last look in the mirror I grabbed my purse and took a deep breathe before opening my bedroom door and greeting Elijah. He turned towards me the minute my door swung open. He looked just as handsome as I remembered, maybe more so. He was wearing a dark grey suit that looked like it had been tailored to perfectly fit his body. He walked forward and kissed me softly on the cheek. I fought to keep from blushing.

"Elena." He smiled.

"Elijah." My eyes drifted down to his lips and I had to force myself to look away when I heard Caroline clear her throat.

"You guys have fun. Oh Elena, don't forget that Bonnie is at home for the weekend and I am heading to a friends for the night so nobody will be here until late tomorrow afternoon." She smiled brightly.

Elijah smirked and I gave Caroline a dirty look.

After dinner Elijah and I walked around downtown for a while. He placed my hand under his arm as we walked.

"Have you thought anymore about your plans after graduation?"

"No, I haven't really had time. I have been so busy with studying and classwork that I haven't had time to do anything else but eat and sleep. I have been thankful for being busy though. It made the last two weeks go by quickly."

He kept his eyes trained in front of us but I watched the edge of his lip turn up into a smile. "I wish I had kept busier."

"You go back home tomorrow?"

"Yes, tomorrow afternoon."

"I wish you could stay longer."

He smiled at the wistful tone that filled my voice. "I do too but I will be back before you know it."

 **DAMON**

I climbed silently up the fire escape and sat outside her bedroom window. Looking inside through the sheer curtains I listened carefully. I didn't hear any heartbeats. I slowly slid the window open and slipped inside. Elena's scent filled the room. The light was off but I didn't have any trouble seeing everything in detail. The stack of school books on her small desk, the opened notebook filled with notes in her handwriting, the black t-shirt, my t-shirt, draped over the desk chair. Her bed was perfectly made as always. Most nights I visited she was asleep on top of the covers with a school book laying open on top of her chest. My visits were becoming more frequent and the feeling that my compulsion four years ago had been a bad idea was becoming more and more undeniable. If Elena were here right now I probably would have acted without a second thought and broke the compulsion, letting her remember everything.

Where was she? Elena was always home Friday nights. She had developed a routine of the past four years. Friday night she stayed home and did homework. Saturdays she hung out with Caroline and Bonnie at some mundane frat party or some other silly activity Caroline dreamed up. Sundays she went back to studying and working on projects for the coming school week. I quietly walked out of her room and looked around at their small living room. I pulled out my phone.

 _Where_ ' _s Elena?_ I quickly texted Caroline.

 _Are you sitting on her fire escape again Damon?_

 _Where is she?_

My phone vibrated in my hand. Frowning at the phone I answered it. "Caroline, where is she?" I asked impatiently

"Damon, why do you do this to yourself?"

"Caroline…" I growled into the phone.

"She's on a date." She sighed.

A date. I felt the sarcastic smirk creep over my face. She had gone on a few dates but only because Caroline had forced her into it. The guys never got the chance for a second date.

"Set her up again did you? When will you learn?"

"I didn't set her up on this one."

"Who is the guy?" I tried to sound nonchalant, as if I wasn't dying to know who was with my Elena.

"Damon, seriously." Caroline was getting annoyed but I didn't care.

"WHO?" I was starting to get suspicious that she was hiding something from me.

"A guy she went out with in New Orleans."

"This is a second date?"

"Yes." She whispered so lowly that if it hadn't been for my excellent hearing I wouldn't have been able to hear it.

My mind was reeling. Even with the compulsion I always kept a spark of hope in the back of my mind that one day I would win her heart and she would find her way back to me. What if this guy took her way from me? I had to find her, to make her remember.

"Damon don't. I know what you're thinking."

I glared at my phone. Blondie knew me too well.

"Damon I'm serious!"

"What's his name?" I demanded

"He is just some guy we met at a party."

"Name!" If he was just some guy then why was she trying so hard to keep from telling me his name.

"Does it really matter?"

Before I could answer I heard someone at her door. I could tell she was there, her familiar scent was flowing through the door. Her heart was racing and her breathing was quick and raspy. I was about to rip the door open and save her from whatever danger was threatening her when I heard a man's voice.

"Are you sure Elena?" It was barely above a whisper but I didn't have any problem hearing him.

"Yes. Please." Her voice was pleading as I heard her keys jingle, in an attempt to find the right key to unlock the door I assumed. The next sound I heard rooted me in the spot I was standing. A soft moan that I knew all to well. I had memorized the sound of it and replayed it over and over since that night four years ago. Something hit the door Elena moaned again and I could see it all as if I were on the other side of the door watching. She was kissing this man, he had pushed her up against the door. His hands were wrapped in her hair holding her lips to his, her arms were wrapped around his waist.

I glared at the door and fought every urge that I had to rip open the door and steal her away from this man who was eliciting her passionate moans. I heard her key slip into the deadbolt and I knew I only had seconds to decide what to do. I watched as the deadbolt turned and the door slowly started to open. I ran at full speed back into her bedroom and out her window. I jumped to the ground and ran to my car. I sat in my car gripping my steering wheel so hard I expected it to bend or break into pieces but it held firm. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a girl walk by. I turned my head getting a better look. She was about Elena's age and height. Her hair was the same color but not as long and her skin was several shades lighter. I descended on her, my teeth piercing her neck, I drank deeply before she ever had the chance to scream.

 **ELENA**

Elijah took the keys from me and unlocked my door without breaking our kiss. I twisted the door knob and we tumbled inside when the door swung open. I threw my purse on the coffee table as he closed the door locking it before I pushed him towards my room. Our lips still locked together. I closed the door behind us and he pushed me up against it, his fingers burying themselves in my hair. Slowly he pulled away and stared down at me. His eyes searching mine, making sure I was truly ready for the next step. I stared back at him and I knew the minute he found the answer he was looking for. His hands released my hair and grabbed my hand pulling me away from the door.

He turned me around so that my back was against his chest and pushed my hair out of the way. His lips slowly trailed kisses down my neck, he nipped gently and I gasped as my body shivered. I turned my head and his lips claimed mine again. Our lips moved together slowly. I felt him sliding my dress up my body and he pulled away for a minute as he pulled it up over my head dropping it on the floor. He kissed down my neck and down the length of my bare shoulder. His fingers undid the clasp of my bra and I let it slide off my arms and onto the floor with my dress.

I turned to face him, his eyes caressing my body causing me to blush.

"Elena, you are beautiful." His fingers lightly skimming my arms before he grabbed my waist and started pushing me towards the bed. I slide my hands inside his jacket and he allowed me to slide it off his shoulders. He released me long enough to let it fall off his arms and onto the floor. I pulled his shirt out of his pants and started unbuttoning each button. His hands wandered over my body. When one of his hands cupped my breast I looked up meeting his eyes. His lips found mine again. Our lips moved together slowly as his hand kneaded my breast. I got his shirt unbuttoned, my hands found his warm bare skin. He groaned into my mouth and quicker than I thought humanly possible his shirt was on the floor and he had me laying back on the bed with him hovering over me.

I ran my fingers over his chest and traced along the rigged lines of each of his ribs. They slowly trailed down to his stomach. Our eyes stayed locked on each other as he let me explore his body. I undid his belt and pulled it off him, I undid the button and zipper of his pants. It gave me enough room to slide my hand inside and take his hardening cock in my hand. I felt him shudder and his eyes grew dark. He sat up away from me so that he could remove his pants and boxers. I watched him hungrily as he moved back towards me, his hands gently caressing every inch of my body starting from my foot and moving his way up my leg, to my thigh, he stopped briefly as I lifted my hips allowing him to remove my underwear.

He kissed my inner thigh, his eyes never leaving mine as his lips moved to my wet center. He brought his hands up my thigh and I watched as his fingers slid along the warm wet spot. He brought his fingers to his lips and licked them, tasting me. He resumed his movement up my body. Kissing my stomach as his hands caressed my sides, finding my breasts. As one hand massaged my breast his mouth moved over the other taking my hardened peak into his mouth, sucking it and gently biting it.

"Elijah" I whispered breathlessly as my back arched up towards him. My hands on his head, my fingers running through his hair. He kissed his way up my neck until finally his lips found mine again. I sucked at his lower lip, his hand on my hip pulled me closer to him. My lips parted as a moan escaped and he slid his tongue into my mouth. I loved the taste of him, the feel of his tongue moving with mine. My hands wrapped around his chest, holding him to me as I lost myself in his kiss.

"Elijah, please…" My voice raspy and full of desire. He knew what I was begging for and was all to willing to comply. I felt his body shift over mine. I lifted my legs and wrapped them around him as he slowly guided himself deep into my wet depths. I felt myself stretching to accommodate him. His movements were slow and gentle. Each thrust was deeper than the last but he wasn't in a hurry. He was taking his time with me, savoring every touch, every moan and gasp. The fire of our passion built slowly but the closer I got to the brink the more sensitive each nerve of my body became. Every touch, every kiss, every thrust of his hips sent electricity through my body.

I reveled in his tenderness and loving embrace. He sucked at my neck as he thrust deeply. My breathing escaped my lips in gasps.

"Oh god. Elijah" I clung to him, my body shaking as I felt my orgasm start to take over.

"Yes my love. I feel it too." His thrusting was a little faster, a little harder.

I wrapped my hands around his arms, my finger nails digging into his skin. The waves of ecstasy flowed through me like lightening bolts.

"Elijah!" His name sounded more like a guttural moan than an actual word. He answered with his own loud groans in my ear and I felt our bodies reach their peak together.

Elijah collapsed beside me our legs intertwined, his fingers running through my hair. I turned my face towards him bringing my lips to his. Softly kissing him, his fingers caressed the side of my face. I stared up into his eyes smiling.

"I think I am falling under your spell my love." Elijah gazed into my eyes seriously.

I kissed him again. "I think you have that backwards." I watched his face, his answering smile giving me the courage to continue. "When we first met in New Orleans a couple of weeks ago you seemed so familiar to me. I felt like I knew you and my heart told me I could trust you. It took me by complete surprise. The last boyfriend I had was during my senior year of high school. After that I have never had any interest in dating. Caroline has set me up on a few dates but I never felt comfortable with them. I would literally count the minutes until I felt I could politely end the date."

Elijah stayed quiet allowing me to continue. "Then I met you and I couldn't stop thinking about you, I wanted to know more about you. I didn't want our time together to end. When you dropped me off at the hotel I wanted more than anything for you to stay longer. Even if that meant we just sat and talked for hours. For the first time in four years I was interested in someone." His face was unreadable and I began to feel nervous.

"And this is so not a conversation to have with a guy you just went on a second date with and then had mind blowing sex with." I looked away from him but he put his hand under my chin and forced me to look at him.

"Maybe it's not the typical conversation you would have on the second date but I am not the typical man. Would you believe me if I said I felt the same way? That I feel a bond with you that I haven't felt in a very long time and the fact that I have to leave you tomorrow makes me feel more sad than I care to admit."

I searched his face but all I found was complete sincerity. I smiled hesitantly. "So you don't think I'm some crazy clingy stalker chick?"

He laughed quietly. "Yes, that is exactly what I think you are, but lucky for you I am attracted to those particular qualities in a woman."

I laughed. "I certainly am lucky that I ran in to you then."

He caressed my cheek with his finger tip. "I think I'm the lucky one." He whispered in my ear.

I smiled at him and pressed my lips to his. He pulled me closer and stroked my hair. My body started to relax against him and I slowly drifted into a light sleep.


	6. Elijah - Chapter 6

**ELIJAH**

Elena was peacefully sleeping in my arms. I smiled to myself, I had dreamt of this very event since I had gotten to know her several years ago. She and Katerina may share the same face but where Katerina is cold and calculating, Elena is kind and self sacrificing. When Elena ran into me, literally, in New Orleans I was shocked she didn't seem to know who I was. At first I thought it might have been because she was drunk. But when I looked into her eyes there wasn't even a hint of recognition. I was relieved to know that even though her mind didn't remember our friendship her soul does, which she herself just confessed to me a few moments ago. Our connection was strong enough to make an imprint that couldn't completely be taken away with compulsion.

I didn't agree with her friends and family having the Salvatore vampire compel away her memories. Being the supernatural creature that she is her life is in danger from any number of people wanting to use her. Having no knowledge of the world she lives in could pose a serious risk to her life. Caroline had pleaded with me to let her be. I made no promises, only saying I would leave it for the time being. At least until she graduates college, then I think it is time she gets her memories back.

I had a sneaking suspicion about Damon Salvatore. I smelled his scent when we entered her apartment and I am pretty sure I heard him jumping out her window. Caroline said he keeps in touch to keep tabs on Elena. I looked down at Elena, her breathing was slow and even, her face completely relaxed. I placed one hand gently on her head and slipped into her sleeping mind.

I could see his compulsion floating around blocking out the offending memories. Ah yes, there it is, I think to myself. He visits her dreams, quite often from the amount of memories I found. Interesting, the dreams aren't what I expected. I would have expected them to be of a sexual nature but the most he ever allows is a kiss. Mostly they lay face to face on her bed while Elena talks about school, or her family. He sometimes asks her about dates she has gone on. I carefully slip out of her mind. I knew he and his brother Stefan were protective of Elena, but I hadn't expected Damon's love to be a pure love. I know his history with Katerina, they had a lustful relationship. I had assumed his feelings for Elena were of the same nature.

Damon has always been the more impulsive of the Salvatore brothers and I imagined it was only a matter of time before he decided to break the compulsion himself. I slid my arm out from under Elena and tried to silently roll off the bed but her hand grabbed my arm just before my feet hit the floor.

"Don't go." She mumbled still half asleep. Her eyes were open but I could tell she was fighting to keep them open.

"I'm not leaving. I just need to get something." She let go of my arm, nodding.

I picked up my jacket and reached into the inside pocket, pulling out a small cloth bag. I dropped my jacket back to the floor and sat on the bed beside her.

"Elijah…" Her voice was as soft as silk.

"I bought you something." I watched her force her eyes open again.

"Elijah, you shouldn't buy me gifts. It's not even my birthday."

I laughed softly. "I couldn't help it. When I saw it I knew you had to have it." I pulled out the delicate sliver necklace. Dangling from the chain was a silver heart that had a swirl pattern carved out so that the inside of the heart was visible. Visible through the carvings was a dark blue lapis stone. I held it up in front of Elena and watched her as she quickly sat up in the bed.

"Elijah, it's beautiful!" She gently held the pendant in her hand running her finger over it's surface.

"Now you have something to always remind you of my affection when I am not here." She smiled at me as I looked deeply into her eyes.

"No other vampire besides myself will be able to compel you or enter your thoughts while you are asleep or awake." I held her gaze in mine for a second more before releasing her.

"Lift your hair my love." She lifted up her long brown locks and I fastened the vervain infused necklace around her neck.

She looked down and played with the pendant. Smiling she leaned forward and kissed me. I pulled her onto my lap facing me with her knees on either side of my hips. My hands trace invisible lines down her back. She nibbles at my lip and then giggles when I growl at her. I force her mouth open with my lips and slide my tongue into her mouth. Slowly I move one of my hands around to her side and down her stomach. My fingers find her slick center and slide into her. I felt her sharp intake of breath against my mouth as our tongues moved together.

Her hips move back and forth against me as my fingers glide in and out of her. I find her magic spot with my thumb and run circles over it. Her head falls back pulling her lips from mine. She moans softly as her back arches, pushing her chest against mine.

I feel her hands reaching down between us, searching for something. I moan when her hands close around me. She moves her hand up and down my length causing it to stiffen even more. I run my tongue over her neck, sucking at the sensitive area just behind her ear lobe. My fingers still diving into her as my thumb works her clit. I feel her inner walls start to tighten.

"Yes, Oh god…" I can hear her heart racing and smell the blood rushing through her body.

I feel her warm wet fluid drip down my fingers as she orgasms. Moaning she buries her face in my neck. When she whimpers I lose control over my own need and I have to be in her.

I place my hands firmly on her hips. moving her center over my aching staff. She grabs my shoulders and lets me lower her hips so that I slide into her slick mound. I keep my hands on her sides as she moves her hips over me. She is so tight and wet around me, I have to work to keep from releasing my load in her too soon.

She bounces on top of me faster and I can tell by her moans that she is close to the edge. Without disconnecting us I push her back on the bed so that I'm on top and lift one of her legs over my shoulder. My body is begging for release and I can feel Elena's approaching peak. I thrust into her hard.

"Oh! Yes, don't stop." Elena screams in my ear.

I thrust into her fast and hard over and over. My own grunts mixing with her groans.

"Elijah, please, oh god don't stop!"

Her walls tighten around me and I'm lost in a blinding moment of passion. I empty myself deep into her with one final deep thrust.

We lay in each other's arms, my head on her chest, her fingers running through my hair for a while. I liked listening to her heart beat, it's relaxing.

"I think I am going to keep you tied up in my bedroom so we can do this every night."

My laugh echoed against her chest. "I would be your willing prisoner my love."

"I don't know. Caroline would probably come give you manicures or test out new make up ideas on you while I'm in class."

"You are right, I wouldn't be quite so willing then. Besides, you would probably tire of me eventually. I can be high maintenance you know."

"I can't imagine I would ever get tired of this. Hmm high maintenance huh? You cant be any worse than Caroline."

I smiled. "Caroline has nothing on me. I only use a certain brand of hair gel, it's imported from Italy. And my coffee must be freshly ground each morning and then brewed with special imported bottled water."

"Well, hmm maybe you are right."

"Told you. High maintenance"

"I meant that you were right about being worse than Caroline. Much worse."

I picked my head up off her chest and looked at her. She was grinning innocently at me but her eyes sparkled mischievously. "I'm much worse am I?"

She grinned wider and nodded. "Absolutely."

I quickly swung my leg over her waist and moved my body so I was sitting on top of her. I grabbed both her hands and leaned forward holding them against the bed above her head with one hand while the other slowly moved down to her side. She watched me curiously. I started to tickle her and she squealed as her body squirmed underneath me.

"Elijah, stop" She gasped between giggles.

"That's not what you were saying earlier." I tickled her again.

"Elijah!"

I gently kissed her lips and released her hands before pulling her up towards me so both our heads were resting on her pillows. She reached down and pulled the blankets up, covering us. I kept my arms wrapped around her and my chin resting lightly on the top of her head as we both drifted off to sleep.


	7. Happiness - Chapter 7

**ELENA**

Waking up in Elijah's arms was pure heaven. While I lay safe and warm in his arms I replayed the events of the previous night. The first time we had made love he had been slow and deliberate, as if he was worshiping my body. The second time was more fiery and passionate. Both were equally as wonderful as the other. I had been on the verge of professing my love for Elijah several times during our love making. But I held it back, there was no way I should be telling him that so soon. We did talk a little about our feelings and how they are already strong considering we had just met each other a few weeks ago. I was relieved when he confessed to feeling the same way as me.

"What are you thinking so hard about this early in the day my love?"

I smiled and turned over to face him. "Just remembering last night."

"It was one of the best nights of my existence." He placed a kiss on my forehead. "How about I make us breakfast?"

"You can cook?"

"Yes, I can cook. Does that surprise you?" He smirked down at me.

"A man who is a god in bed and can cook. I really am the luckiest woman in the world." I grinned up at him.

He laughed and gave me a quick kiss on the lips before moving off the bed to find his clothes.

While Elijah was working in the kitchen I grabbed a pair of denim shorts, pink tank top along with some undergarments and hurried to the bathroom to take a quick shower. By the time I finished my shower, dried off and threw on my clothes the smells coming from the kitchen were making my stomach rumble. I ran a brush through my hair, quickly applied a little make up and headed to see what Elijah was making.

"What's for breakfast?" I asked as I wrapped my arms around Elijah's waist hugging him from behind.

"Blueberry waffles with whipped cream and bacon." He led me to my little kitchen table that was already set for us.

I stared at him open mouthed. "You made homemade waffles?"

He chuckled. "I hope you like waffles? I could make something else if you would rather."

"No, waffles are perfect!" I smiled and sat down taking a drink from my glass of orange juice.

We ate in silence but it wasn't an awkward silence. It felt nice, to be able to sit with him and not feel like I had to talk or entertain him. After breakfast I insisted on doing the dishes and Elijah excused himself to shower. Once the last plate was washed I drained the sink, wiped down the table and counters. Elijah was still in the shower so I grabbed one of my text books and curled up on the sofa to start reading the weeks assigned chapter. I was so engrossed in the book that I didn't hear Elijah come out of the bathroom. It wasn't unti I felt him sit down beside me that I realized he was in the room with me. Smiling, I closed the book with my highlighter still between the pages I was reading to mark my spot.

I placed my book down on the coffee table and allowed Elijah to pull me into his side. I laced my fingers in his and laid my head on his shoulder.

"Elena, I'd like to ask you something and if you feel it's too soon I will understand and you wont hurt my feelings."

"Okay?" I kept my head on his shoulder and my hand locked in his.

"I know you said you don't really date much but I was hoping that we could agree that you wouldn't date anyone, other than me that is."

"You mean you want us to be exclusive?"

"Yes, I guess that would be the correct term for it. Is that something that you would be interested in?"

"Yes, I would like that." I smiled down at our hands.

He kissed the top of my head. "I'm glad."

We cuddled on the sofa until he had to leave. I was still sad to see him go even though he promised he would be back in a couple of weeks. He kissed the tip of my nose and I watched him walk to his car. Sighing I went back into the apartment to study. I barely had time to grab my book and head to my room when my cell vibrated in my pocket. I look at it expecting to see Elijah's name pop up but it was Alaric.

"Hey Ric!"

"How is my favorite college student?" He sounded excited about something.

"I'm good. Great actually! How are things back home?"

"Good. I have some exciting news."

"What's going on?"

"I asked Jo to marry me and she said yes!"

"Oh Ric! I am so happy for you guys. Congratulations!" I really liked Jo. She was good for Ric, he had seemed so much happier since he met her. I was glad he had finally decided to propose.

"Thank you. It's going to be a short engagement."

"How short? Please don't tell me it's tomorrow?" I laughed.

He laughed at me. "No not that short. It's a couple of weeks after your graduation. Hopefully, that means you can come?"

"Ric, I wouldn't miss it for the world. Even if it was during finals week. That's actually perfect. I was going to stay here and get everything packed up the week after graduation and then have a week at home before heading to Colorado to see Jeremy."

"Jeremy is coming too so maybe you two can travel together when he goes back."

"Sounds like a good plan to me. So um, can I bring a date to the wedding?"

"Sure! You didn't really need to ask ,Caroline and Bonnie are both invited as well."

I smiled knowing he is aware of my nonexistent dating life and thinks I was asking about my friends. "I am sure they will be as excited for you as I am and will be there, but I wasn't referring to them as my date. I have someone I would like to bring. We kind of just started dating and I think it would be fun to show him around my hometown."

"You, Elena I-don't-date-or-even-have-an-interest-in-dating Gilbert have a… boyfriend?"

I laughed. "Yes Ric, I have a boyfriend. And believe me it surprised me as much as you. I go to New Orleans with Caroline on spring break just looking to relax and let my hair down and I come back with a boyfriend."

"That happened fast, did you know him from school?" His sounded curious and slightly worried.

"No, but Caroline says she has been friends with him for a while. I had never seen him before our first night in New Orleans but from the minute I met him I felt like I had known him for a long time. I was instantly comfortable with him, I can't remember ever feeling that way about anyone."

"Well if Caroline says he is alright then I guess he is alright in my book. What's his name?"

"Elijah Mikaelson." I heard a loud crash. "Ric? Are you okay? Ric?"

"Sorry I dropped the phone. Hey Jo is here and we need to go over some wedding stuff. Can I call you back a little later?"

"Absolutely, I need to get some studying done any ways. Tell Jo I said congrats!"

"I will. Talk to you later."

I ended the call and sat down at my desk for a long day and night of reading.


	8. Graduation Crasher - Chapter 8

**CAROLINE**

I walked back to the apartment I shared with Bonnie and Elena hoping I had given Elijah and Elena enough alone time. I was really praying that I wasn't going to walk into something I don't need or want to see. My phone beeped indicating a text message. I pulled it out of my pocket and rolled my eyes when I saw the message.

 _Alaric: You let Elijah meet and now date Elena? Are you crazy?_

I dialed his number.

"Caroline, this is not a good idea." He sounded stressed and a little angry.

"Relax Ric. He knows about the compulsion and isn't trying to make her remember anything. He took her to one of his families formal balls while we were in New Orleans and then came here this weekend to take her to dinner."

"She was at their home? And what about Klaus? Do you not think he will use this to his benefit?"

"Ric, Elijah promised to keep his siblings in check where Elena is concerned. There is nothing to worry about. Just relax."

"She is calling him her boyfriend Caroline! That doesn't sound like casual dating to me."

"Wow, they must have had a really good time last night."

"Ugh Caroline!"

"I didn't realize you were such a prude." I laughed at him trying to lighten the mood.

"Does Damon know?"

I sighed. "He knows she is dating someone but he doesn't know who it is. And honestly I don't think we should tell him yet. You know how he is."

"He is going to figure it out you know. And it will be worse if he knows we knew and didn't tell him. He talked to me a few days ago about Elena. I think he is still feeling a lot of guilt about doing the compulsion and has been seriously considering breaking it. He loves her as much now as he did back then, maybe even more. And it's been eating away at him these past four years."

"Yeah I figured. His visits have gotten much more frequent lately."

"We have to tell him Caroline. You, Bonnie and Elena are graduating in just over two months. Jo and I are getting married two weeks later and Elena is bringing Elijah to the wedding. Damon will be there and I doubt there is enough alcohol in Virginia that could keep him from noticing that Elena's date is an original."

"You are getting married?! Oh Ric that is great! Congratulations. I better be invited!"

"Thanks and yes of course you are invited."

"Can we just wait a little longer to tell Damon? See how this thing goes with Elena and Elijah first. What if its just a passing thing and in a couple of weeks it ends? Then we freaked Damon out for no reason."

"Okay, we will wait but you have to tell him BEFORE the wedding."

"Agreed."

Weeks turned into a months. Graduation day was upon us and neither I nor Alaric had worked up the courage to break the news to Damon. From what I could tell he hadn't been to visit Elena since I told him she was dating someone. He hadn't texted or called me either. If I hadn't been so busy with last minute school stuff and finals I might have worried about his silence but I didn't have time to worry about Damon.

Elijah visited every other weekend. Elena and Elijah had gotten close quickly and I could sense the change in her. She was more openly social and she seemed more carefree. Maybe even a little happier than before. The day before our graduation ceremony Elijah arrived with a gift for Elena, Bonnie and myself. He had paid for a trip for just the three of us girls to fly to Rome for three days and then to Paris for a couple of days.

"Elijah this is too much I can't possibly accept." Bonnie wasn't sure how she felt about Elijah, especially when it came to his relationship with Elena but she did a good job of putting on a friendly face when he was around.

"Bonnie of course we can accept! The Mikaelson's have more money than they could spend in a thousand years."

Elijah chuckled at me.

"Please accept Bonnie, as Caroline correctly stated my family has more money than we know what to do with and it would make me happy to know that you guys and Elena are able to have fun and celebrate graduating college."

"Bonnie and I both thank you Elijah. It was very thoughtful of you and we will have a great time." I elbowed Bonnie in the side.

"Thank you Elijah. I am sure we will have a great time." Bonnie managed a smile.

Elena reached up and kissed his cheek. "You're the best."

He looked down at her, his expression so full of love and adoration I had to look away, to keep from feeling like I was intruded on a private moment between lovers.

"Once your trip ends in Paris, I am going to fly in and Elena and I are going to spend a few more days traveling through Europe before coming back home."

"Do you already know what places you will go to?"

"From Paris we will fly to Brussels for an overnight stay and then we will go to London for a few days."

"Elena you had better bring me back some Belgian chocolate!"

"I will buy some for you guys but whether they make it back home or not is another story."

We all laughed. I playfully punched Elena's arm as Bonnie and I walked towards the door of our apartment. "I know where your secret stash of starbursts is. I would hate for them to suddenly disappear." I gave Elena a wink as I walked through the door and shut it just in time to avoid being hit by a throw pillow.

 **DAMON**

"Damon you need to get over it. This funk you have been in for the past two months is getting a little tiring." Stefan looked at me with a mix of pity and annoyance.

I started to refill my glass with bourbon and thought better of it, I grabbed the bottle and threw myself onto the sofa. "I'm not in a funk. I am just fine ,brother. Why don't you go worry about finding a date for Ric's wedding."

"Damon, you didn't honestly think she would never date or fall in love did you? It was bound to happen, and it's why you all decided to do what you did right? So she could move on and have a normal life."

"I didn't think anything. I compelled her, she moved on, it's really no big deal to me what she does. If I remember correctly it was you and Elena that had the fairytale romance." I stood up taking a long drink of bourbon as I stumbled towards the stairs.

"It's no big deal huh? So constant texts and phone calls to Caroline asking about Elena are what? You not caring? Or how about the frequent visits where you sit outside her window on the fire escape and watch her sleep? If it's hurting you so much then why not undo the compulsion Damon? Let her remember everything. Her life won't ever completely be free of danger. She is still the doppelganger even if she doesn't remember it."

I glared at him on my way up the stairs. I didn't stop walking until I got to my room and slammed the door shut. I took another swig of bourbon before I threw it at the wall. The loud crash and sound of shattering glass almost made me feel better. I couldn't make my brain shut off. I was constantly bombarded with memories of Elena and it was driving me mad. I hadn't been back to her room since that night I heard her with the waste of space guy she had gone out with.

I looked down at my phone. Sighing I sent a text to Caroline.

 _How is she?_

It seemed like hours before I got a response but it had only been ten minutes.

 _She is happy._ That was a first. Usually Caroline just said Elena was okay or busy, she never used the word happy.

 _She madly in love with that loser guy?_

 _Can't really talk right now. Graduation tonight._

I gripped my phone so hard I could hear it start to crack in protest. I threw it on the bed. Caroline avoiding the answer and blowing me off meant that she didn't want to tell me the answer. Which means I wouldn't like the answer. I took a cold shower to sober up. I was going to her graduation and afterwards I would find a way to get her alone so I could break the compulsion.

I ran vampire speed down the stairs and got into my car. I didn't need my brother getting any clues about my plan and alerting Caroline or Bonnie.

I stayed hidden in the very back of the large auditorium. I easily spotted Elena among the other graduates.

"If this is you not caring brother then I would hate to see you when you are in love."

"Stefan."

"Did I miss anything?"

"Just some boring old guy talking too long about the responsibility of the graduates to go out into the world and use the knowledge they gained at Whitmore to improve society. I was about to go break his neck but thankfully for him he stopped talking."

I could see Stefan giving me a look out of the corner of my eye. "Relax Brother, I was joking. Well, mostly."

We stood watching as each graduate went to the front and was given their diploma. When Elena's name was called I watched her walk up to the front, shake hands with several people and then accept her diploma. She turned to face the direction where Stefan and I were standing. My breath caught in my throat when her face lit up in a smile that was filled with so much happiness and love. For a moment I let myself believe she had seen me and the smile was for me. But then I realized she wouldn't be able to see me from this far away so I followed her eye line and saw the back of a man's head. He had short brown hair that was perfectly groomed. He was wearing a dark blue suit jacket and white shirt. I couldn't tell for sure but from the back it looked like it was an expensive suit.

I kept my eyes on the man, something was familiar.

"Stefan, do you see the guy in the family and friends seating area? Third row back second from the right." I whispered so only he would be able to hear me. The guys head turned slightly as if he had heard me. My stomach tightened.

"He looks vaguely familiar. Who is it?"

"I'm fairly certain that is the guy Elena has been seeing. But who he is specifically I am not sure."

I kept watching the man for the rest of the graduation ceremony but he never turned his head enough for me to get a good enough view of his face. I saw my chance to get Elena alone after the ceremony ended. I heard her telling Bonnie she had to use the restroom. I slipped out of the back door and used my vampire speed to get me to the bathroom just as Elena was about to go in. I leaned against the wall next to the door smirking at her.

"Damon? What are you doing here?"

"Oh I always crash college graduations. It's my hobby."

She looked slightly confused and then smiled. "Hi Stefan. I haven't seen you in a long time. How have you been?"

Groaning I turned to see my brother standing behind me.

"I have been good. Congratulations Elena."

"Thanks. If you will excuse me…"

I moved in front of her and looked down into her eyes. "Remember everything you forgot."

"Damon…" Stefan put his hand on my arm.

"Don't Stefan." I growled at him.

Elena looked up at me and then a look of confusion covered her face. "What did I forget?"

I tried again, my face closer to hers. "Remember what I said to forget."

She looked over at Stefan. "What's going on?"

I looked at Stefan and he was looking at her concerned. I notice his eyes open a little wider in recognition and I turned my eyes back to Elena. She was looking at me with a mix of fear and confusion. Her fingers were caressing the pendant that was attached to her necklace. She has a vervain infused necklace?!

"Sorry Elena, my brother had a little too much to drink earlier." Stefan's excuse was lame but it was better than anything I could come up with at the moment. She gave a small smile and escaped into the bathroom.

"Where did she get a vervain necklace?" I looked up at Stefan.

"Caroline? Maybe she anticipated you trying to undo the compulsion."

"Let's go ask our little friend Caroline." I started to head back into the auditorium.

"Damon, are you sure this is what you want to do?"

"I'm going to do it with or without your help Stefan. As soon as I can get that necklace off her I am going to make her remember."

We walked back down the hall towards the entrance of the auditorium. We were barely in the door when I saw him. The man in the expensive suit, the one Elena had been smiling at. He was turned to the side talking to Caroline. I had a clear view of his profile.

"Stefan…"

"Elijah? When would she have met him again?" Stefan kept his voice low.

The pieces slipped together. "She and Caroline went to New Orleans for spring break. Caroline told me about Elena dating a guy but refused to tell me his name. And I'm guessing her new little vervain necklace was a gift from Elijah." I wasn't sure if I was more angry or jealous.

"Caroline has to know how dangerous this is for Elena. The whole original family is one of Elena's biggest threats."

I felt myself losing control of my rage. I had to get out of there before I committed a mass murder. I didn't think Elena would ever forgive me if she saw that, even if she remembered she loved me. Without another word I turned and ran out of the door not stopping until I got to my car.

I drove around for a couple of hours. My phone rang a couple of times and dinged to indicate a text message several times but I ignored it. It was just after midnight when I crawled up the side of the building and sat on the fire escape outside Elena's window. The room was dark but I could hear her heartbeat and slow steady breathing. I looked through the window and saw her curled up under the covers. I didn't see anyone else in the room so I silently opened the window and slipped inside. Elijah's scent permeated the room. I had to silence a growl, thinking of him kissing her, touching her or doing other things almost made me lose control of my inner beast. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself. I quietly moved to the side of the bed. Elena looked the same as she did in high school, a little older but she still had a soft and angelic aura.

I took off her necklace and placed it on the bedside table. I gently placed my hand on her head and closed my eyes. I had been entering her dreams almost once a week for the past year. It was usually fairly easy to slip into her mind but I knew immediately that something was wrong, I couldn't get in to her dream. It was like she had a brick wall blocking me. I tried again, concentrating harder but it didn't work. I frowned down at her.

"Elijah…" I growled. I put her necklace back around her neck and kissed her forehead before slipping back out her window. Elijah had done something to block my access to her mind. I jumped off the fire escape silently landing on the ground. I immediately spun around.

"Elijah." His name came out as a hiss.

"Damon. I would appreciate you not visiting my girlfriends bedroom this late at night anymore." He stood calmly a few feet from me with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"What did you do to her?"

"If you are referring to your inability to get into her dreams, I compelled her to not let anyone but myself into her mind."

"She isn't safe with you or your family. That's one of the reasons why everyone decided to compel her to forget all about the supernatural."

"If I am correct in my assumption. You came here tonight to undo that compulsion. Are you any less dangerous than I am?"

"My brother isn't Klaus, the original that tried to kill Elena several times."

"No, your brother is Stefan the Ripper who not only almost drained her of her blood but also tortured her emotionally."

I flinch, remembering that night, if I hadn't gotten to her when I did she would be dead. He smirked at me, knowing I can't argue with his point.

"You might be surprised to know that I agree with you. She should be allowed to remember everything. Not knowing what she is or what kind of creatures are in this world could prove to be just as dangerous to her life as Klaus or Stefan. However, I will be the one to break the compulsion. I will do it when and where I decide."

I glared at him. "You have made it impossible for me to compel her so that I can make her remember but I can think of another way to remove any compulsion."

Elijah slammed me into the brick wall of the building behind us. The force of his push and the solidness of my body caused some of the bricks to break off and fall at our feet. His hand wrapped firmly around my throat held me against the building.

"The only reason I allow you to continue living is Elena. She cares about you and I don't want to have to explain why you are not around once I break the compulsion. But make no mistake if you even attempt to turn her into a vampire in order to bring back her memories I will not hesitate to rip your heart out of your chest."

"She would never forgive you." I hissed.

"Maybe not, but do you think she would forgive you for turning her into a vampire against her will?"

"She always forgives me, it's what we do. I do something impulsive and terrible, she yells and then forgives me."

Elijah tightened his grip on my neck. "This is your only warning Damon. I wont hesitate next time." He snapped my neck letting my lifeless body fall to the ground.


	9. It's Time - Chapter 9

**CAROLINE**

I guess I shouldn't have been surprised to see Stefan at our graduation. Elena had been the love of his life. It only made sense he would want to be there to witness one of the major events in her life. I watched him curiously as he approached Bonnie and I. He looked sad but also a little mad or no, maybe it was frustration. I couldn't tell for sure.

"Bonnie, Caroline can we talk for a minute?" He gave us a small polite smile.

"Sure." Bonnie and I led him to one of the empty rooms that we had used to get ready before the ceremony.

"I think you should know that Damon plans to undo the compulsion on Elena." He watched us to see our reactions.

Bonnie nodded sadly. "I figured he would eventually decide to do it. I am surprised it took him this long actually."

"I wanted him to undo it from the minute I found out about it. I never agreed with you guys making the decision without her being aware. It should have been Elena's decision, not something that was forced on her. And before you say it, I do not feel this way because I lost her afterwards. I think she fell in love with Damon long before the compulsion happened. She still loved me but I think she had been wrestling with her feelings for my brother for a while."

I fought against the wave of guilt I felt. "We thought we were doing the right thing at the time. She was always protecting all of us, even to the point she would put herself in danger if it meant saving someone she cared about. We all wanted to protect her for once."

"I understand that but if that was your reason for having Damon compel her, then how do you explain Elijah?"

I opened my mouth to say something but I couldn't come up with a way to defend my decision to encourage her relationship with Elijah.

Bonnie frowned. "I have never been good with Elena dating Elijah. I like him and think he is a good guy but he comes as a package deal with Klaus and that makes me very uncomfortable."

"Stefan you haven't been around her the last four years. We had to force her out of the apartment to parties on the weekend. She would only go out on a date if one of us set her up with someone and then pushed her out the door. She didn't act depressed or anti social. She just didn't act like herself. She was happy, but not happy. Sometimes she looked lost as if some part of her was missing and she didn't know how to navigate life anymore. I have seen glimpses of the old Elena recently."

"Just because of Elijah?"

"Mostly, yes." I hesitated, not sure if I should bring up the other person. Stefan raised his eyebrows. I took a deep breath. "The other time was about a year ago. Elena went to Mystic Falls to pick up some stuff from her house. Alaric was out but Damon was there. She talked to me about him, she hadn't talk to me about any guy in three years. That was the first night she dreamt of Damon. In the dream they just talked like two old friends. He would listen to her talk about life, her classes or about her parents. It didn't take me long to figure out it was actually Damon visiting her dreams. That's the first time I saw her start to change back into her old self. I could always tell the in the morning if she had had a Damon dream."

"He always was there for her when she needed him. He seemed to know what she needed better than I did most of the time. And I think he is right, she needs to be given her life back. She needs him. Whether that is as a friend or something more I don't know. But I think it's time." Stefan said quietly.

Bonnie and I both nodded.

I sighed. "Stefan there is one small problem with that."

"What?" His greens eyes started to darken.

"Elijah gave her that vervain necklace."

"Damon can deal with that easy enough." Stefan shrugged.

"That's not all. Elijah knew you and Damon were here. He heard you in the hall talking to Elena. He told me that he had compelled Elena just before giving her the necklace." I had to look away from Stefan. His eyes were almost black.

"What did he compel her to do?" Stefan's face darkened, his voice was harsh and he clinched his jaw.

"Stefan, please calm down."

"Caroline… What did he compel her to do?" He took a long breathe.

"He made it so that he is the only one that can compel her and the only one that can get into her dreams."

I could see Bonnie glaring at me out of the corner of my eye.

"I need to find Damon." Stefan disappeared from the room.

"What have we done Caroline?" Bonnie looked at me and I saw my own feelings reflected in her eyes. Guilt, sadness and a hint of fear.

"We thought we were doing the right thing by our friend. But I have a feeling this is going to get worse before it gets better."

Bonnie nodded. "Elena is going to be upset with us. Hopefully she will be in a forgiving mood."


	10. Welcome Home - Chapter 10

**ELENA**

The week after graduation was fun but exhausting. Caroline, Bonnie and I packed up our apartment. When we weren't filling moving boxes we were making plans for places to visit on the trip Elijah had given us. I was grateful for this time we were getting to spend together. Now that we were all going on to the next stages of our lives, I wasn't sure how much time we would get to spend with each other.

At the end of the week we loaded our cars with our belongings, said one last goodbye to the apartment that had been our home for the past four years and followed each other back to Mystic Falls. Once we reached the city limits we each went different directions towards our homes. It didn't look like anyone was home when I pulled into my driveway. I parked close to the house and turned off the car.

I sat in my car looking at the front of my house for a few minutes. I had mixed feelings about moving back home. I grew up in this house and it would always feel like home in a way. But it also felt sad being here. My parents and Jenna were gone but the house was still full of my memories of them. I experienced a lot happy moments here but there was a lot of pain and loss associated with this house as well.

Sighing I opened the door and stepped out. I hopped up the front steps to unlock the door. I threw my purse on the little table just inside the door before heading back out to my car to start unloading all my stuff. I had just jumped off the bottom step when I skidded to a stop. Damon was coming towards me with a couple of boxes.

"Where should I put these?" His blue eyes peeked around one of the boxes.

"My room." I watched him go up the steps and into the house before I turned back to my car and grabbed a suitcase.

With Damon's help my car was unloaded within a few minutes. I stood in the middle of my room looking at the mess.

"Just tackle one box at a time." Damon grinned at me.

"I can't believe I had this much stuff in the apartment." I smiled at him. "Thanks for helping me unload the car."

"No problem. I wanted to come and apologize for the night of your graduation. I wasn't feeling myself."

"Don't worry about it." I made a path to my bed and sat down.

I watched Damon move a few boxes out of his way so he could sit at my desk.

"You just came over to apologize?"

"No. I knew Ric wasn't going to be home and I figured you would have a lot of stuff to unload, I came to see if you needed help." His smirk was just so darn sexy.

"Why? Don't get me wrong I really appreciate you being here but we barely know each other."

"I feel like we are friends. That probably sounds weird since you only know me as your ex boyfriend's older brother. But well… If I tell you something will you promise not to think Im a crazy person?"

"Um, sure? I will do my best to not think you are a crazy person." I watched him curiously.

He smiled. " Every so often I have these dreams. Dreams about you and I."

I felt my heart skip a beat. "What kind of dreams?"

He laughed softly. "Nothing sexual, don't worry. We would just talk about whatever you want to talk about. Sometimes you would tell me about school or a bad date Caroline forced you to go on. Other times you would tell me about your parents. The dreams felt so real and I guess that is part of why I feel like we are friends."

"Damon… I.. uhm.. wait are you serious? This isn't some joke that Caroline put you up to?"

"No, why would Caroline have me joke about my dreams to you?" His looked confused.

"This is going to sound so weird. I have those same dreams, a lot."

"No! Are you trying to make fun of me and my dreams?" He almost looked hurt.

"I am serious. The first time I had one of those dreams was in this room. I had come back from school to get some pictures and jewelry for Caroline."

"Ah yes. I helped you untangle all those necklaces."

"Yes, you are always coming to my rescue." I bowed my head at him. "Thank you kind sir." I looked up at him grinning.

"It is my pleasure Princess Elena." His eyes sparkled and his lips spread into a wide grin.

I giggled.

"That night I stayed after having dinner with Ric and Jo, it was too late to drive home. That's the first time I had a dream about you."

"I haven't had one of those dreams in a few months." He almost sounded sad.

"Now that you mention it neither have I. This is very weird, we have the same dreams. How is that even possible?"

"I have long since given up trying to figure out how some things in life are possible. Maybe, we could look at it as the universe telling us we should be friends?"

"Well, then I guess we shouldn't go against the universe." I grinned at him.

"As your friend I feel it is my responsibility to take you out to eat to celebrate your homecoming."

"I am actually pretty hungry." I stood up and carefully walked between boxes towards the door.

"Also as your friend it is my job to tell you that your room is a complete mess and you should really do a better job of cleaning it. Someone might think you are a hoarder if they saw what your room looks like right now." He grinned mischievously at me.

"As my friend it is your responsibility to keep the deep dark secret of my messy tendencies." I narrowed my eyes at him playfully.

"Okay. I guess If I want to be a good friend I have to keep your secret."

Damon insisted on driving. I watched out the window as we drove through town. "Where are we going?" I asked as we passed by the last restaurant in town and the houses were becoming further apart.

"It's a surprise."

When he finally slowed the car to turn onto a long driveway in a wooded area I instantly recognized the area, we were at his house. I had been here a few times when I dated his brother. As we pulled up to the house I noticed that there a number of other cars already parked in the driveway.

"What's going on?" I asked looking over at Damon.

"I told you, it's a surprise, now come on."

I climbed out of the car and followed Damon. Music spilled out of the house when Damon opened the front door. He motioned for me to go ahead of him. I stepped into the large foyer and slowly walked towards the living room. As soon as I stepped into the living room I was assaulted with what seemed like every citizen of Mystic Falls.

"Welcome Home!" The chorus of voices greeted me. There was a big welcome home banner hanging across the fireplace mantle. I turned to look at Damon who was standing behind me smiling.

"Told you it was a surprise. Your friends wanted to throw you, Caroline and Bonnie a welcome home party. Since Stefan and I have the biggest house we volunteered to host it here."

I turned back to all my friends who were waiting to give me hugs and congratulations. After a few minutes Damon appeared at my side to hand me a drink.

"As your friend it is my duty to keep you hydrated with as much alcohol as you can consume." He whispered softly in my ear.

I laughed and mouthed "thank you". He nodded his head and walked away.

After an hour most of the older crowd left and the music was turned up. True to his word Damon kept my glass full and I was feeling a little tipsy.

Caroline dragged Bonnie and I to a make shift dance floor just as one of our favorite Calvin Harris songs came on. I motioned for Jeremy to come join us but he shook his head. I pretended to pout but he just laughed at me. I turned back to Caroline and Bonnie. A couple of old friends from school, Matt and Tyler, joined our dance group. Damon slid in beside me, one of his hands grabbed my hand and his other grabbed Caroline. He twirled us around and we danced together as a trio before Caroline moved off to dance with Matt, leaving me alone with Damon. I didn't mind, Damon was a good dancer.

After a few songs a slower song came on and Damon pulled me away from the dancing and sat me on the sofa. A plate of food magically appeared on my lap. I was having so much fun dancing I had forgotten I hadn't eaten yet. I finished eating quickly and Damon took my plate to the kitchen. I poured myself a glass of bourbon while I watched Caroline dancing to a slow song with some guy I didn't recognize. I felt someone bump my shoulder lightly. Looking up and smiled.

"Hey Ric."

"Having fun?" He gave me a side hug.

"Yeah, it's nice to be home."

"What's up with you and Damon?"

"Apparently the universe wanted us to be friends so we decided to cooperate."

"I am not even going to ask." He shook his head and grinned at me.

"Ready for your big day?" I noticed how happy he looked especially when Jo was beside him. I was happy he had found such a great woman.

"Yeah, everything is all done. Now all that is left is to wait until next weekend."

"Hopefully the week will go by quickly."

"Hey, I should have told you this sooner I guess. But I figured you would already kind of know. After we get back from the honeymoon I am moving into Jo's place. So you will have your house back."

Thinking about being in my house all alone made me feel a little sad but I covered up my feelings so Ric wouldn't see them and feel guilty. "I thought you might. But you know, you guys are always welcome to live at the house if you wanted."

"I appreciate it but I think it would be a little weird to live in my dead ex girlfriend's house with my new wife."

I hugged him tightly. "I understand. I just wanted to make sure you knew that you are always welcome."

"Hey no sappy conversations tonight. This is a party!" Damon slapped Alaric on the back.

Alaric and I both rolled our eyes and smiled at each other.

"Elena dance with me?" Damon held out his hand.

I looked up at Alaric.

"Go on Elena, enjoy party."

I put my hand in Damon's and let him lead me towards the dance area. I hesitated for a minute when I realized it was a slow song.

"Hey we are just two friends dancing. Nothing inappropriate." Damon slowly pulled me closer and wrapped his arm around my waist. His other hand holding my hand.

As we started to move to the music I felt my body relax against his. It was the same way I always felt when Elijah took me in his arms. Usually when Caroline and I go out dancing I refused to slow dance. It always seemed too intimate and I didn't want any of the guys to think they had a chance of getting anything from me.

"What made you sad when you were talking to Ric?" Damon whispered in my ear.

"How did you know I was sad?" I thought I had covered it up pretty well.

"We're friends remember. Friends who have a freaky ability to share dreams. I have learned to read your facial expressions."

"That is never going to not be weird." I chuckled to myself.

Damon laughs. "Definitely weird. So now that we agree on that, what made you sad?"

"Ric is moving out after the wedding and I will have the house all to myself." Sighing I looked over to where Jeremy and Ric were hanging out. "That house is where I grew up but sometimes it doesn't feel like home anymore. Everyone has died or is leaving and I'm not sure if I want to stay there all by myself."

"What about Bonnie and Caroline? Instead of them renting an apartment you guys could share the expenses at your house. Then you wouldn't be all alone."

I looked at him in awe for a moment. "I think having you as a friend is going to come in handy. I hadn't thought of that but it's a good idea!" I smiled.

Damon slowly guided our steps closer to Bonnie and Caroline. "Hey Bonnie, Care? Elena has a proposal for you."

Caroline lifted her head off her dance partners shoulder and looked at me curiously. I smiled and looked over at Bonnie who had a similar expression.

"Ric is going to be moving out after the wedding and Jeremy is living in Colorado now. I am going to be alone in that big four bedroom house. Damon suggested that maybe you guys could move in with me, instead of an apartment and we could share the expenses. Might come out cheaper?"

"YES!" Caroline yelled throwing her arms around me and crushing me in a hug. We both turned to look at Bonnie.

"I thought you would never ask. Of course I will move in with you guys!" All three of us hugged. My sad mood was suddenly forgotten and I started to think that maybe it wouldn't be so bad moving back to Mystic Falls after all.

Later that night Damon drove me home. My body felt warm and relaxed and my mind was in a nice serene fuzzy place. Damon found my drunk state entertaining I think. I didn't understand how he wasn't passed out. From what I saw he drank as much as the rest of us but he didn't seem to be affected at all. He had to help me out of the car and up to the house. He took my keys and unlocked the door. I started to go up the stairs while he closed the door but I tripped on the first step falling backwards onto my behind.

"Easy there lushy pants. I don't want you to seriously injure yourself. Your boyfriend would rip my heart out."

I started laughing. "Elijah wouldn't hurt a fly. Besides a person would have to be super humanly strong to rip someones heart out of their chest. Elijah has many talents but I don't think super human strength is one of them."

Damon snorted. "Regardless, let's not tempt Elijah to find out how strong he is." He helped me stand up and put his arm around my waist holding me steady as we made our way up the stairs to my bedroom.

I nearly fell over a box that was just inside the door of my bedroom. I looked at the mess and groaned. "I hate unpacking. Moving sucks." Damon helped me to the bed and I sat on the edge, my lip pushed out in a pout.

"You will deal with it tomorrow. Tonight lets just get you into bed so you can sleep." He reached down and pulled off my shoes letting them drop to the floor at the foot of the bed. "Do you want to wear that to bed? Or do you have pajamas you want me to get you?"

"Pajamas." I pointed towards my black suitcase. "Black t-shirt and plaid shorts."

Damon opened my suitcase and quickly found the shirt and shorts. His hand paused when he pulled the black shirt out. He smiled at me. "You seem to have the same taste in shirts as I do."

I looked at him curiously for a moment before he finally held up my sleep shirt and pointed to the shirt he was wearing. They were the same shirt. I grinned.

"I didn't realize we were at that stage of friendship where we match our outfits." I giggled.

He walked back over to the bed and handed me the clothes. "I draw the line at the plaid short shorts. I don't have the legs to pull those off."

I laughed as he discreetly left the room to give me privacy to change. I managed to peel my clothes off and put on my pajamas without seriously injuring myself. Damon walked back in to my room with a bottle of water.

He held the water out to me. "Drink."

I obediently took the water and drank about half the bottle before handing it back. He placed it on my bedside table.

"Now climb under the covers like a good little drunk girl." Damon pulled back the covers for me.

I giggled. "Are you going to read me a bedtime story?" I crawled up towards my pillows and slid my legs under the covers. Damon pulled the covers up over me and tucked them in around me.

"I don't think you want to hear the stories I know. They might give you nightmares and I can't sit here all night scaring away all the monsters under your bed."

"There are no such things as monsters silly." My eyes are started to feel heavy and I could feel sleep starting to overtake my body.

"Sleep well Elena." Damon started to move away from the bed but I managed to grab his hand.

"Thanks Damon."

"For what?" He stared down at me with his intense blue eyes.

"For the party, for helping me up the stairs…"

"Anytime Elena."

I smiled and let go of his hand allowing my eyes to close. Sleep enveloped me and I happily drift off into unconsciousness.

When I woke up the next morning I stumbled out of bed and headed for the bathroom. I did my business and washed my hands. I grabbed my hair brush and ran it through the knotted mess of my hair. My hand suddenly stopped mid brush stroke. I put down the brush and walked back to my bedroom. I stared in amazement at my room. Yesterday there had been boxes and suitcases all over making it almost impossible to move around. My suitcases now sat by the closet door, empty. My bookcase was once again filled with all of my books. There was a pile of empty flattened boxes by the door. There was a neat pile of boxes with miscellaneous items sitting on my window seat. The floor of my bedroom was clear of all the clutter.

"What the…?" Did I do this last night and forget? No, I was way too drunk. I vaguely remembered Damon driving me home and helping me up the stairs. I looked in my closet and saw my clothes neatly hung up. Damon did this? Alaric wouldn't, besides he stayed at Jo's last night. Jeremy doesn't even unpack his own stuff when he comes home for visits. I spotted my phone over on my desk and walked over to pick it up. I turned it on, there was a text message from Damon. I opened the message and smiled.

 _You're welcome._

I quickly text him back. _You are the best!_ I shook my head smiling and put my phone back down on my desk before heading back to the bathroom to shower.

After my shower I made my way downstairs to find some breakfast. I searched through the cabinets before finally deciding to have a bowl of cereal and a banana. I went back upstairs with my cereal bowl in one hand and the banana in the other. In between bites I unpacked the boxes that Damon left on my window seat. It didn't take me long to finish unpacking. I put away the last item, grabbed my bowl and sat on my bed while I finished eating.

When I had finished eating I laid back on the bed staring at the ceiling contemplating my future. I had a degree in psychology now, I could try to get a job as a school counselor or a counselor at the hospital. I planned to take online graduate courses, having a masters degree would open up a few more doors career-wise. But I wasn't sure I could or wanted to stay in Mystic Falls. There would be a lot more opportunities in a bigger town. And what about Elijah? He lived in New Orleans, I seriously doubted he would want to relocate here. I could move to New Orleans but were we at the point in our relationship that one of us could pick up and move for the other?

My thoughts were interrupted by my vibrating phone. I looked at the screen and smiled. Speak of the devil.

"Elijah!"

"Hello there."

"I have missed you."

"I have missed you as well my love. But I have some good news."

"You created a teleportation device and we never have to be apart for longer than a few hours?" I asked hopefully.

"While that would be a rather useful device, my surprise isn't nearly as inventive." He laughed.

"I don't know. Now I think whatever your surprise is, I am going to be disappointed because I was really hoping for the teleportation thing." I used my best pouty voice.

"Let's put it to the test. Go to your front door and see if your surprise has arrived yet."

I kept my phone to my ear as I hurriedly made my way down the stairs and to the front door. I unlocked the deadbolt and slowly opened the door.


	11. Uneasy Truce - Chapter 11

**ELIJAH**

I could hear Elena noisily coming down the stairs as I waited patiently for her to unlock the door. The door slowly opened and she was instantly in my arms. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

"So, are you disappointed in my surprise? Should I go back home and work on the teleportation device instead?" I asked teasingly.

Elena held me tighter. "Don't you dare think about going away. This is way better than any silly teleportation device."

I smiled. "I was able to get away sooner than expected and I thought I would surprise you."

Elena stepped back and smiled at me. "I am so glad you are here Elijah. Come in."

She took my hand and led me into her house.

"Do you want a drink or something to eat?"

"No, I ate on the way here. This is the house you grew up in?" I looked around the cozy living room.

"The one and only. Come with me and I will give you the grand tour."

Elena led me around the first floor of her home. The house felt very warm and inviting. There were a lot of pictures of Elena and her family on the walls. I rather enjoyed seeing one where a very young Elena was grinning widely and her front tooth was missing. She blushed and pulled me away. Upstairs she showed me her brother's bedroom, Alaric's and the spare room. She saved her room for last. It reminded me of her bedroom back at Whitmore, very tidy and bright. Her walls were a very neutral off white but there were several large frames with multiple pictures of her with friends and family on almost every wall. Her full size bed had a very feminine white bedspread with lace trim. Placed in a neat arrangement there were various sized and shaped pillows on the bed all in different shades of light pink.

I frowned, Damon's scent was all over her room and it was recent.

"You have already unpacked?" I looked around noticing the empty suitcases and boxes. "I expected be put to work helping unpack when I got here."

She smiled. "Believe me you wouldn't have wanted to have seen my room yesterday. But sometime last night while I was sleeping, Damon, one of my friends, did most of the unpacking while I was asleep. I went to bed in a disaster area and woke up to this."

"He was here while you were sleeping?" My jaw clinched.

Elena turned at my tone and looked up at me. "Hey Elijah, nothing happened. The Salvatore's threw Caroline, Bonnie and I a welcome home party. I had a little too much to drink and Damon drove me home. He helped me get upstairs and then I went to sleep."

She reached up and kissed my lips softly. I was trying desperately to keep my anger, and maybe a little jealousy, under control. I pulled her to me roughly turning and pushing her back against the wall. My lips claimed hers with an almost painful intensity. I ran my hands under her shirt and groaned when my hands wrap around her warm bare skin. I slid her shirt up and over her head. My lips finding the soft skin just below her ear, I nibbled and sucked. Elena's soft moans spurred me on. My hands closed around her breasts, her bra a frustrating barrier that I soon ripped off her, the sound of the fabric tearing fueled the fire that was already raging inside me.

My lips found hers again and I forced her lips open, my tongue invading her mouth. I could hear her heart racing. Her legs were weak, If I hadn't been holding her up against the wall she would have collapsed. I removed my suit jacket and shirt. Her shaking hands were on the button of my pants trying to undo it. I pushed her hands out of the way and undid my pants, letting them fall to the floor. I kicked them off along with my shoes. My hands went to Elena's waist and I picked her up, she wrapped her legs around my waist and I carried her over to the bed.

We fell on to the bed, her legs wrapped around my waist. I put my hand out and caught us to keep my body from crushing her under me. She pulled her lips from mine, gasping for breath.

"Elijah" Her hips moved under mine, rubbing me and causing me to harden even more.

She released her legs from around my waist allowing me to sit up and slide my boxers off. She lifted her hips slightly so I could remove her shorts and lacy black underwear. I glanced down at her nude body, taking a moment to appreciate the beauty that she possessed.

"Elijah… Please…" Her eyes were black with desire. She was as overwhelmed with her need for me as I was for her.

I positioned myself at her opening and plunged deep inside with one hard thrust. Her back arched up towards me as she whimpered. I kept a hard fast rhythm as I thrust into her repeatedly. All my anger and jealousy combined with my love and need for Elena creating a blinding intensity that I couldn't reign in.

I felt her approaching release, her walls tightened around me and her heart was beating dangerously fast in her chest. Her moans got louder as her hands gripped my shoulders and she closed her eyes. I needed her to look at me when she reached her peak. I wanted her to always remember it was me that made her feel this.

"Elena, open your eyes baby. Look at me."

She obeyed and locked her eyes on mine just as I felt her body start to shudder.

"Elijah!" She screamed my name, her nails dug into my back as I felt her warm wet juices coat my aching staff. Her release sent me over the edge and I thrust myself deep into her feeling myself explode, coating her inner walls.

I fell onto the bed beside Elena, my arm draped over her, both our bodies glistened from a thin layer of sweat. I pulled her closer and kissed the side of her head. "Elena?" She turned her head and looked at me, her lips turned up into one of her lazy post sex smiles that I loved so much. "I love you."

"I love you too Elijah, so very much."

 **DAMON**

Elijah had arrived in Mystic Falls earlier than I had anticipated. Elena had told me he wasn't going to arrive until the day of the wedding but he apparently decided to surprise her. His arrival put a serious kink in my plans to get close to Elena. I couldn't break the compulsion thanks to Elijah but that didn't stop me from worming my way back into her heart.

Elijah never left Elena's side which didn't leave me any opportunities to catch her alone. The day before Alaric's wedding Elijah paid Stefan and I a visit.

"Wow, you let Elena out of your sight to come visit little ole me? Should I feel honored?" I sneered at him.

"Elijah, What can we do for you? I assume this isn't just a social call." Stefan was always the more diplomatic brother. I rolled my eyes and poured myself a glass of bourbon.

"I have come to enlist your help. I know you both care for Elena and I am counting on that to hopefully encourage you to help me protect Elena tomorrow."

"Protect her from what exactly?" Stefan crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Klaus and I had some stuff happening in New Orleans and it didn't go as well as I had planned."

"Meaning your little brother went rogue and murdered a bunch of vampires."

"Damon…" Stefan gave me a look of warning.

"Klaus, like you Damon, acts out when he is angry or hurt. He is impulsive and head strong acting before he thinks of the consequences. I had to clean up the mess as usual and I made some people angry in the process. It couldn't be helped."

"So let me get this straight. I compelled Elena four years ago to try and keep her life from being put in danger. Then you walk back into her life and we are right back where we started. And everyone thought I was the most dangerous person in her life." I held up my glass to Elijah in a mock salute.

"Apparently I was wrong in my assumption that your feelings for Elena were strong enough to look past your anger and jealousy of me in order to protect her." He turned to leave.

I sighed. "Wait. How can we help?" It annoyed me to have to deal with Elijah but if Elena was in trouble I had to protect her.

"A vampire named Marcel will be looking for revenge. Using anybody or anything he thinks Klaus and I care about to get to us. I thought I had kept my relationship with Elena hidden. Besides the one time she came to my house when she first met me she was never around my family again. I kept my visits to Whitmore a secret. But Marcel is resourceful and he somehow found out about her."

"Why not just put a stake through is heart and be done with him?" I asked curiously.

"It's a little more complicated than that. Klaus raised Marcel and then turned him into a vampire. Even though Klaus vows to kill him I doubt he would be able to do it and I fear he would kill anyone who tried."

"Super." I looked at Stefan. "Well brother, another Elena protection detail for old time sake?" His was expression grim, but he nodded.

"Keep your eyes out for any unfamiliar supernatural types. Witches especially. I will try and keep Elena by my side tomorrow as much as possible. If Marcel or one of his people shows up to make a move tomorrow I would like one of you to get Elena as far away as possible. Since I am stronger and more durable than you two, I should be one of the ones to fight them. I can't protect Elena and fight at the same time."

"Stefan should take Elena if something happens." Stefan shook his head and opened his mouth to start to object. "Brother, I know you want to play the hero and fight the bad guys but your diet of bunnies and squirrels makes you less powerful. I can best you on my worst day."

Stefan gave me a dirty look. "Fine, where should I take her? If Marcel is as resourceful as you say then he will know where she lives. I can't bring her here since vampires can come in without being invited."

"What if we ask Bonnie to do a protection spell on our the house?" I knew Bonnie might not want to help me but to protect Elena she would do just about anything.

"Call her." Stefan shrugged. "Only one way to find out."

I pulled out my phone and quickly called Bonnie. I gave her the cliff notes version of the issue and as I figured she agreed to come over later that night to cast the appropriate spell on our house. I hung up and turned to face Elijah.

"Wouldn't now be a good time to break the compulsion? If Elena gets her memories back she will understand the threat she is facing? Might make her more willing to stick by one of us."

"I disagree. I told you I WILL break the compulsion but when I decide and I don't think this is the time to do it. If I do it now I am willing to bet she will be angry, emotional and more prone to irrational behavior."

I had to admit he had a point. But it annoyed me to agree with anything he said.

Elijah left after that. Stefan went out to hunt and I stayed behind to wait for Bonnie.

The next day when Stefan and I arrived at the church for the wedding I noticed several unfamiliar vampires sitting in the back. Stefan sat behind Elena and Elijah. I was Alaric's best man which put me in a prime lookout position as I stood beside Alaric at the front of the church. I kept watch from the corner of my eye during the ceremony. Waiting for something to happen was putting me on edge. I almost jumped on a lady who sneezed during the ceremony. Stefan saw me twitch and he gave me a warning look.

Nothing happened during the ceremony. True to his word Elijah stayed glued to Elena's side. Much to my annoyance she didn't seem to mind his overbearing attention. Jo and Alaric had rented out a barn on an old farm for their reception. It was a ten minute drive from the church. Stefan rode with me, we followed Elijah and Elena.


	12. Marcel - Chapter 12

**ELENA**

Alaric and Jo's wedding ceremony had been beautiful but I was distracted by Elijah. He was acting weird. He was tense and I could tell he was worrying about something. I tried to get him to talk to me before the ceremony started but he just smiled and said it was nothing that I needed to worry about. Elijah wasn't the only one acting weird though, Damon and Stefan were too. Their mood was wearing off on me and I was on edge.

When we arrived at the barn where the reception was being held I tried to push away all the bad feelings and just enjoy myself. The barn looked old but in good repair. The huge double doors were standing open and I could see what seemed like thousands of mini white lights mixed with tulle and flowers decorating the inside. There were round tables arranged around an open area that was meant to be a dance floor. The DJ was set up on the opposite side of the barn. There was a buffet table filled with food on one end of the barn and the opposite end had a table with the wedding cake and other desserts. Beside the DJ booth was a bar. While Elijah was distracted talking to Stefan I escaped to the bar and ordered a vodka and soda, heavy on the vodka.

While I was waiting for my drink I turned and watched as the wedding guests slowly filed in. The place was filling up and people were already on the dance floor. I watched Alaric and Jo share a private moment. Smiling I turned back towards the bar. A tall well built man walked up to the bar beside me. He was handsome and had a pleasant smile. His skin was several shades darker than mine and his eyes were a light caramel. He stood with an air of confidence that bordered on cocky. I didn't think I had ever seen him before.

"Hello Elena." He flashed his very white teeth at me, his lips pulled back into a friendly smile.

"Hi? Sorry do I know you?" I looked down and saw my drink sitting on the bar in front of me. I picked it up and turned towards the man beside me.

"I know Elijah. I have never had the pleasure of meeting the woman who stole Elijah's heart. My name is Marcel. "

I tried in vain not to blush. "Oh you are a friend of Elijah's. It's nice to meet you, Marcel. I didn't realize he had invited anyone to come to the wedding." I took a long sip of my drink. The bartender had listened when I said heavy on the vodka. It was almost all vodka.

"He didn't. But I had an important business matter to discuss with him so I tracked him down." His smile faltered slightly and there was a hint of something in his voice that bothered me.

"Oh ok." Before either of us could say anything else Stefan appeared out of thin air and asked me to dance. "Um sure, I guess." I gulped the rest of my drink and set the empty glass on the bar. "Again it was good to meet you Marcel. I hope you have a good evening." I waved to him and followed Stefan towards the dance floor.

I groaned when the music changed from an up tempo club mix to a slow dance song. Stefan took my hand and wrapped his arm tentatively around my waist. He wasn't as good a dancer as Damon or Elijah but he wasn't bad. We moved around the dance floor and I noticed he seemed to be moving us closer and closer to the back exit.

The song was almost over when I started to feel dizzy. I initially thought it had been very potent vodka but then my legs started to get heavy and I stumbled into Stefan. The room started spinning and I couldn't see Stefan's face clearly. I looked towards the bar and Marcel was smiling at me but this time it wasn't a friendly smile. He held up his glass towards me and winked. Marcel had drugged my drink, but why?

"Stefan, something's wrong. Every thing is fuzzy and I think Im going to pass…" I could tell my speech was slurred and Stefan seemed to understand because he lifted my feet off the ground and carried me out of the barn before I finished the sentence. The last thing I remembered was Stefan holding me bridal style, a sensation of flying and then I lost conciousness.

I'm not sure how long I was out but when I started waking up several things assaulted me at once. My head was pounding, I couldn't feel my hands and I saw a large cut on my upper arm that was still oozing blood and it hurt. I was sitting in a chair and my wrists were tightly bound behind me. I tried to move my legs but they wouldn't cooperate. I looked down and saw my legs were tied to the chair legs. I could feel myself starting to panic. Where was Elijah? How had I gotten here? Who had tied me up? I looked around the room. It was dark and empty except for me. I saw a staircase across the room. I figured I was in a basement when I saw the grey concrete floors and plain grey walls. There were no windows that I could see and the only door was the one at the top of the stairs.

I didn't waist my energy screaming. I figured the only person who would hear me would be the one who had tied me up and I wasn't sure I wanted to draw their attention. I looked around to see if my purse was near me. Maybe if I was lucky they had forgotten to take it and I could get my phone to call Elijah.

The door at the stop of the stairs opened. I watched as three people descended the stairs and walked towards me. I recognized one of them. It was the guy from the wedding, Marcel. The other two I didn't recognize. The first was a man shorter than Marcel but younger with light brown hair and blue eyes. He was smiling at me but it was in no way friendly. The second person was a woman, she was about my age and height. Her long black hair was pulled back into a tight pony tail. Her brown eyes narrowed when I looked at her. I thought I heard her growl but my attention turned to Marcel. His face was now inches from mine.

"Why am I here? Where is Elijah?" I tried to hide the fact that I was scared.

"If you think Elijah is going to come rescue you then you better think again. I have you well hidden and I am sure he is quite busy fighting for his life at the moment."

"What did you do to Elijah?" My voice rising in panic.

"I think you should be more concerned with what I am going to do to you."

"I don't understand why you are doing this. I never met you before tonight."

"You are here because I am going to make Elijah pay for what he did."

"Please let me go. I am sure you and Elijah can just talk and work this out."

"Come now. You should know better than anyone what Elijah is capable of. What better way for me to get back at him than stealing the one he loves and the fact that you are the doppelganger is just icing on the cake."

"The doppel-what?" I looked at him in utter confusion.

"Don't play dumb with me Elena. I know exactly who and what you are."

"I don't know what you are talking about!" I yelled at him.

He looked at me for a minute his expression puzzled. Then he smiled and looked like he had figured something out. He grabbed at my necklace and ripped it off my neck, leaning forward he looked into my eyes.

"Tell me where Elijah has hidden her."

"Hidden who? I don't know what you are talking about! Let me go!"

Marcel frowned at me. "Are you the doppelganger?"

"I already told you I don't know what a doppelganger is, but I am certain that I am not whatever it is."

He moved his face down to my neck and I heard him sniff. "You don't have vervain in your blood. He must have compelled you to forget a few things."

The brown haired guy looks at Marcel. "Does this mean I don't get to torture her?"

Marcel smiled. "You will get your chance Thierry. Elijah needs to know what it's like to see the one he loves in pain because of him."

I tried to fight against the ropes that were holding me to the chair. "Let me go!" I screamed at them.

Marcel stood up and moved away from me. "She is all yours. Just don't kill her. I want Elijah to see what he has done. And I want her to know that Elijah is the reason this has happened to her."

I watched as Marcel and the girl ascended the stairs leaving the basement. I turned my eyes back towards the brown haired man named Thierry. He grinned and kept his eyes on me as he slowly pulled a knife out of his back pocket. He started walking towards me and I fought with all my strength against the ropes. I felt the cold steel of the knife slice into my already injured arm. The tears slipped out of my eyes and I tried to bite back the screams I felt rising in my throat. He made long slices on my other arm and then my legs before he plunged the knife into my side. I screamed then and he smirked. He grabbed my face and forced my eyes to look at him.

"You really are beautiful. It's a shame that you will have scars covering your body when I get done."

I glared at him and managed to work up enough saliva to spit in his face. I realized it was a mistake the minute his face changed. Weird veins rippled under his eyes and he opened his mouth revealing long fangs. I stared at him wide eyed and I felt like I was going to hyperventilate. He growled menacingly and attacked my neck. I felt his teeth painfully penetrating my neck ripping my skin. I screamed and screamed but my screams quickly grow weaker until they are nothing but a faint whimper. He finally released my neck but I can barely hold my head up. His mouth and chin were dripping with my blood. He smirked and stabbed me one last time in the shoulder. My body was burning with all the pain from every cut and stab wound. I could feel the blood oozing down my neck.

I felt myself slowly losing consciousness and I couldn't help but feel thankful for the relief from the pain.


	13. Memories Returned - Chapter 13

**AN: Thanks to Shhh-FanGirl and His Gem** **for the sweet reviews!**

 **I am personally a Delena fan but have always been intrigued by Elena and Elijah's relationship. When I first started writing this story I knew Elena was going to have to make a choice between Elijah and Damon eventually and I wrestled with it for a while. The further I got with the story the more the choice became evident. I am super happy with it. Hopefully, once you are able to read the ending you will be happy too. :)**

 **DAMON**

I found Stefan laying outside our house unconscious. Elena was no where to be found.

"Stefan! Wake up!" I shook him but he didn't respond. His neck wasn't broken so I assumed whoever took Elena had injected him with vervain. I picked him up and carried him into the house and laying him on the sofa.

I went back outside and quickly picked up Elena's scent. I followed it into the woods for several miles. I stopped right at the edge of the wooded area. There was an old abandoned house just a few feet outside the tree line. Closing my eyes I concentrated to see if I can hear anything from inside the house.

"You didn't kill her did you? We need her alive." I recognized Marcel's voice from the wedding reception.

"No, I didn't kill her, although I brought her closer to death than I intended. She's a fighter that's for sure. She has the Petrova fire. She spit on me and I lost control. I was barely able to stop before I drained her. It didn't take much, she has already lost a good amount of blood from the knife wounds." I didn't recognize the male voice but his words made my anger spike.

"Hopefully she stays alive long enough for us to get what we want from Elijah."

My first instinct was to bust into the house guns blazing. But that could get Elena killed and I wasn't sure how old the vampires inside where. If they were significantly older than me I wouldn't stand a chance against them especially since I was all alone. Stefan was incapacitated and I hadn't seen Elijah since we had been separated back at the reception.

I crept quietly around the house looking for a way in. At the back of the house I found a rotted wood door. The two male vampire voices had come from the front of the house so I carefully pulled the door open just enough to slip through. I listened for movement as I made my way through the dark house. I grimaced when I started smelling blood. I followed the smell all the way to a painted wooden door. Looking around I didn't see anyone nearby. I quietly opened the door and slipped inside closing it silently behind me.

My eyes adjusted to the dark instantly. My heart sunk when I saw Elena She was tied to a chair her head slumped lifelessly forward. I could hear her heart beating faintly. She had already lost too much blood and her wounds continued to bleed. She only had a few more minutes at most before her heart gave out. I ran to her at vampire speed. The closer I got the more injuries I saw. All the cuts, the dark red spot on her side where someone had stabbed her, On her shoulder there was another puncture wound. I gently lifted her head up and thats when I saw the wound on her neck. I growled and felt my blood boil as the rage built. I heard her heart stutter and knew I had to make a decision. I could give her my blood and hope it would heal her quick enough but if it didn't and she died with my blood in her she would wake up in transition.

I looked at her fragile face and knew I didn't really have a choice. I quickly bit my wrist holding it up to her mouth forcing my blood into her mouth and down her throat. When i was sure she had enough of my blood in her system I pulled my wrist away. I heard foot steps moving quickly towards the door to the basement. I stepped into the dark corner of the basement behind Elena.

Marcel and other male vampire I had heard talking earlier came down the stairs and approached Elena. She was still unconscious and barely breathing.

"We should just kill her and be done with it."

"NO! Are you stupid Thierry? If we kill her we lose our bargaining power. If she is dead Elijah won't negotiate. I need him to tell me where he has hidden Davina." Marcel's slightly panicked voice was harsh and annoyed.

"She's not breathing." Thierry put his hand over her heart. "Shit!"

Damon felt tears running down his face. He had heard the moment her heart gave it's last thud and then silenced.

"We need to get out of here before Elijah finds us." Marcel growled.

"You're a little late for that I'm afraid." Elijah walked down the stairs dropping a heart on the floor and wiping his bloody hand on a handkerchief. "Your friend, Iliana put up quite a fight outside but sadly she is no more."

I stepped out of the shadow and came up beside Elena. I quickly untied her hands and feet. Marcel turned and started for me but Elijah grabbed him by the throat throwing him against the wall before punching his fist into Thierry's chest and ripped out his heart. I gently lifted Elena out of the chair and laid her on the cold floor. I stayed crouched beside her holding her hand.

Marcel started to back away from Elijah. Marcel was quick and managed to get up the stairs before Elijah reached him. They both disappeared through the door.

Now that the immediate danger was gone. I let myself relax. I sat down on the floor and lifted Elena's head into my lap. I gently stroked her hair while I watched her face.

"Please baby, please come back to me." Silent tears rolled down my face. "Elena please, I can't lose you. Not like this. I'm so sorry, I should have protected you better. I shouldn't have agreed to compel you." I leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I love you Elena."

I wasn't sure how long I sat on the dirty basement floor holding Elena's bloody broken body before Elijah came back but I figured it had been a couple of hours at least. If she was going to wake up it would be soon.

"Damon…" Elijah slowly approached me.

I growled, shifting my eyes from Elena's face to glare up at Elijah.

"Give her to me. We should get her body back to your house." Elijah held out his hands as if he meant to take Elena from me.

"This is YOUR fault! You did this! They were hurting her to get to you!" I gently slid Elena's head off my lap and stood up moving protectively in front of her. "You will not touch her!"

"I am fully aware of the roll I played in her death and do not for one moment think that I am not feeling as devastated as you are, but Klaus will be coming soon to express his displeasure with me for killing Marcel. I would like to get her body back to her family before he arrives."

"You killed Marcel? Well, I guess I can mark that off my bucket list."

Elijah walked around me and crouched down beside Elena. He gently stroked the side of her face. "I'm so sorry Elena. I failed you and I will spend the rest of my immortal existence loving you and mourning you."

I watched curiously as his eyes filled with tears that eventually slid down his cheeks. An original with a heart, who would have thought it possible?

"You may not have to mourn her for all eternity." I smirked at his startled face.

Elijah stood up. "What do you mean?"

"When I got here she was still alive but was moments from dying. As you can see her injuries were severe. I fed her my blood hoping it would heal her fast enough but I was too late."

"She died with your blood in her…" Elijah turned and looked down at Elena. When he turned back to me his expression was filled with rage. "How could you do that to her? You know what this means for her! Your own brother forced you to transition and you have spent decades punishing him because of it!" Elijah grabbed me by the neck and threw me against the wall behind Elena.

"I tried to save her life. The life that was in danger because of you!" My own anger rose up to meet his.

"You have been a vampire long enough to know when someone's life is too far gone to save with blood. You knew what would happen!" Elijah hissed at me.

"I knew it was a possibility but don't for one minute pretend you aren't a little happy that she may wake up and not be lost forever. Or maybe the real reason you are so pissed is you realize that when she wakes up she will remember. She will remember me and her feelings she had for me."

Elijah let out a roar, he smashed the chair that Elena had been tied to and picked one of the jagged pieces of wood moving towards me fast, ready to plunge the wood into my heart. I waited to feel the pain rip through my chest but nothing happened. Then I heard a gasp and a body fell back against me.

"Elijah?" Her voice was more confused than hurt. Elijah's face contorted into a mixture of pain and guilt.

I caught Elena as she started to collapse in front of me. I slid my back down the wall bringing her with me. Pulling her between my legs with her back resting against my chest.

I looked down at the piece of wood sticking out of Elena's chest. Her breathes were coming out as gasps and wet gurgles. Elijah knelt down beside us.

"You missed her heart but I think you got her lung. Pull it out."

Elijah yanked the wood out of her chest with one swift pull. Her breathing slowly returned to normal. She was laying so still that I began to worry.

"Elena? Are you okay?" I asked her quietly.

Elijah was watching her face curiously. She slowly moved away from me, turning to face me. Her eyes had a far away look and she was biting her bottom lip.

"Damon…"

I stayed quiet. I knew what was happening and I wasn't sure how she was going to react. Her mind was being flooded with all the memories that I had taken away from her. The first time I met her, when she found out about vampires and other supernatural beings, the first time I confessed my love for her, Klaus's sacrifice, Elijah's involvement with her before the sacrifice, Jenna's death, Stefan's torment, the night she confessed her love for me and then finally me compelling her.

"Why is this happening? What's happening to me?" Elena's eyes darted between Elijah and I.

Elijah tried to move closer to her but she stood up and stepped away. "You were brought here by Marcel. He was angry at me and he used to you get his revenge. Damon found you but you were dying. He fed you his blood in hopes of healing your injuries but it was too late…"

"Vampire, I'm a vampire." Her voice was barely a whisper. She looked at me.

"Elena, I…"

"You took my memories away from me! How could you do that to me? I trusted you, I loved you and you took everything away!"

"Elena, please, we thought it was the best thing for you. We were trying to protect you."

"We?" Her expression demanded to know who was involved.

"Caroline, Bonnie, Jeremy, and Alaric. Stefan didn't find out until after it happened. It took us months to get him to turn his humanity back on."

"So you all got together and decided that what was best for me was to forget big pieces of my life? Parts of my life that made me who I was. Do any of you realize what I have felt like the past several years?"

She glared at me not waiting for me to answer. " I had this emptiness that wouldn't go away. I always felt a little sad but didn't understand why. For a while I thought I was going crazy. Here I was a college student, rooming with my two best friends. My life had endless possibilities and yet something held me back. I never felt completely free to live my life because something was missing. It was like my heart still remembered what my brain had been forced to forget."

"Elena, I'm sorry." She continued to glare at me. She turned her glare towards Elijah.

"And you, you knew all this time! You the honorable Elijah could have given me back my life and you didn't. You went along with it just like the rest of them. How could you?!"

"Elena I realize you are upset and you have every right to be but you have a decision to make soon."

"Oh so I finally get to decide something for myself?" She snarled at Elijah.

"Elena you are in transition. You have to decide whether to complete it or not." I tried to keep my voice quiet and calm.

"I…" She looked away from us. "Where are we?"

"We are at that old abandoned farm house on the edge of town." I tell her.

She noded her head. She and Stefan have explored the house before and she knew exactly where we were. Without another word she was gone. I looked at Elijah. He shook his head.

"Her emotions are heightened. She would be angry anyway but now no matter how we try to explain or apologize she won't really listen." His voice sounded sad and regretful.

I nodded. "We should go try to find her. She may be angry but she shouldn't be alone right now."

"Where would she go?"

"I have a hunch I know who she will be looking for." I headed for the stairs.

Elijah followed me out up the stairs and out of the house.


	14. Transition - Chapter 14

**AN: Thanks for all the reviews so far! (xTheSecret Diaries, Pascall and Shhh-Fangirl)**

 **Initially when I started this story I wanted it to stay an Elejah story and then slowly, as the story progressed in my head, it started leaning towards an eventual Delena ending. I thought I had written the last chapter with a clear decision made on Elena's part. But as I sit here editing the next two chapters I think there is more to tell and I'm not quite finished yet. I won't say how that will effect Elena's choice between Damon or Elijah. We will just have to see how it plays out. :)**

 **ELENA**

I couldn't stay in the basement with Damon or Elijah any longer. The memories of my past were causing so many conflicting emotions and it was overwhelming. When I looked at Damon I felt the intense love I had for him but the pain of betrayal was there too. It was the same with Elijah. I loved him deeply and while he hadn't been in on the initial compulsion he hadn't tried to fix the situation. He got close to me, let me fall in love with him, let me imagine a future with him all the while knowing that I had pieces of myself missing, that parts of the life I was living were a lie.

I wasn't sure who I was most angry at, Damon or Elijah. The two men who claimed to love me the most, the two men I probably loved the most, they might as well have ripped my heart out of my chest and crushed it in their hands. I felt the tears building up behind my eyes. I wouldn't cry in front of them, I wouldn't give them the satisfaction. I turned and ran as fast as I could up the stairs and out of the house. I didn't realize where I was going at first as I plunged through the woods but the minute I saw the huge Salvatore mansion in front of me I knew who I had been running towards.

I rushed into the house and launched myself into Stefan's arms. Only then did I let the tears I had been holding in escape. He held me, quietly allowing me to cry while he stroked my hair and whispered soothingly in my ear.

"It's okay Elena. I've got you sweetheart." He pulled me towards the sofa, he sat down and pulled me down with him so that I was sitting curled up in his lap. My head was on his shoulder nestled against his neck, my hands gripped his shirt. "Tell me what happened."

I took a few deep breaths and told him about waking up in the basement of the old farm house and being tortured.

"I thought I was dreaming when I felt Damon beside me. I must have blacked out because the next thing I was aware of was Elijah charging at Damon. He was angry about something. I stepped in front of Damon to try and stop the fight. I hadn't noticed that Elijah had a weapon in his hand until it went into my chest. The pain was excruciating but I started remembering all this stuff." I paused for a minute to take a few calming breathes.

"What kinds of stuff were you remembering Elena?" I felt Stefan's body stiffen slightly and his voice sounded cautious.

I pulled my head up and looked into his eyes. "I remember everything Stefan. You turning off your humanity, Klaus killing Jenna for his sacrifice, the night Damon compelled me. I remember it all." I watched his face, it was filled with pain and despair.

"Elena, I cannot even begin to apologize for what happened that night at the school. It has haunted my every thought since Damon was able to get me to turn my humanity back on."

I put my hand up and cupped his face. "Stefan, it's alright. I forgave you a long time ago."

He smiled sadly at me. "You shouldn't have had to forgive me. If Damon hadn't gotten there when he did I would have killed you. I don't think I could have ever come back from that."

"But you didn't kill me, I survived." I laid my head back on his shoulder.

He sighed. "If you got all your memories back that means the compulsion is broken. Did Elijah break it?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Elena, how…"

"Damon fed me his blood trying to heal my wounds but it was too late, my heart gave out before my body could heal."

He pulled me away from him and looked into my eyes. "You're in transition."

I nodded.

"Have you fed yet?"

"No, I had to get away from Damon and Elijah. I was so angry about the compulsion that I couldn't think of anything else. I still feel like my head is going to split open from all the emotions. I'm angry most of all but I am also hurt. They both betrayed me, they are supposed to love me and yet they took away part of my life. How could they do it to me?"

"We can deal with that later but first we should talk about your transition." He watched my face cautiously. "If you don't feed on human blood you won't complete the transition and you will die. We have some blood bags in the deep freezer downstairs. But you need to think about the choice you are making."

"I don't want to die Stefan, I feel like I just got my life back. I never wanted to be a vampire, I liked having the possibility of marriage, kids, and grandkids. I wanted to settle down somewhere, whether it was Mystic Falls or some other town, to make a normal life for myself. But apparently someone had other plans for my life."

"I'm so sorry Elena. I'm sorry you are having to make this choice right now. I'm sorry that you are having to give up so much. I never wanted this for you."

Tears slipped down my cheeks. "Stefan, it's not your fault. You didn't do this to me. It happened and now I am making the only choice I can. I'm not ready to die."

"Are you saying you want to complete the transition?"

I forced a smile and nodded silently. I quickly placed my feet on the floor in front of us and pushed myself out of Stefan's lap, standing up. He took my hand and led me out of the room. We slowly made our way down the stairs. He opened the freezer and pulled out a bag of blood. I fought the urge to grimace when he handed it to me.

I stared at it for a long moment. I looked up at him as tears slid down my face, he was crying too. He pulled me to him and held me against his chest. I let him hold me for a few minutes. Finally, I took a deep breath, took a step back from Stefan, ripped the bag open and quickly drained it.

He took the empty bag from me and threw it into the trash bin by the freezer. I sensed someone else in the house, I turned towards the stairs expecting to see someone, but there wasn't anyone there. I realized it was my new vampire hearing skills that alerted me. I heard foot steps and Damon's voice talking to someone, I assumed Elijah.

"Stefan…" My voice filled with apprehension.

"It's just Elijah and Damon."

"I don't want to see them right now. Please."

He nodded. "Let me go up first. I will get them into the living room. Then you can go up to my room. Okay?"

"Thanks." I watched as he quickly made his way up the stairs. I closed my eyes and focused on listening to what was happening upstairs. I heard their footsteps walking and then someone poured liquid into a glass. I darted up the stairs onto the main floor and then to the main staircase. I closed Stefan's door and locked it. I hadn't been in Stefan's room in years but it still looked the same as I remembered it. Stefan's journal was laying open on his desk. I ignored it, not wanting to intrude on his private thoughts. I walked over to one of his windows and looked outside. It was night time but I saw everything so clearly, each leaf on the trees as they swayed in the slow breeze, a bird sleeping in it's nest.

I could hear Damon and Stefan arguing downstairs.

"She wants to be left alone right now Damon. You need to respect that." Stefan's voice was firm.

"Move out of my way brother." Damon threatened.

"Damon, perhaps we should let her be for now. She has just been through several traumatic events. She needs time to process." Elijah's voice sounded calm but there was a hint of frustration.

"I can't just leave her all alone up there. She is in transition and she needs to deal with that." I heard Damon growl and a rustling sound that I assumed was Stefan trying to restrain him.

"Damon, Stop! She completed the transition just before you and Elijah got here."

"She fed? How?"

"She made the decision on her own and I gave her one of the blood bags from the freezer."

"Stefan, please let me go to her. She needs us, she is just being stubborn." Damon begged his brother.

"She is hurt Damon and angry. I told you this would happen. I know you all think you were doing what was best for her. You thought you were protecting her but look at what just happened to her Damon. She was never any safer not knowing about us or the supernatural than she was before the compulsion. You have to respect her right to decide what's right for her life. And before you blame Elijah, she is the doppelganger, she is a supernatural being and there was always going to be someone out there looking for the opportunity to use her, kill her or hold her as leverage against Klaus."

"Fine. But tomorrow I'm going to make her talk to me and you aren't going to stop me."

I heard Stefan sigh.

"Should we call Jeremy? Or Bonnie and Caroline?" Elijah asked.

"No!" I growled to the empty room. I said it loud enough that the three vampires downstairs heard me.

"Maybe tomorrow?" Elijah asked Stefan or me I'm not sure, but I didn't answer.

"Let's just give her time, when she is ready she will tell us what she wants." I was so grateful for Stefan in that moment.

I heard Damon come up the stairs, he paused in front of Stefan's door but thankfully he continued on to his bedroom. I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard his door close firmly. Stefan quietly knocked on the door a few minutes later. I unlocked the door and hugged him. "Thank you Stefan."

"You have been through a lot Elena. It is going to take time for you to work through all your feelings. It's a natural part of becoming a vampire. I will help you as much as you want me to." He smiled down at me. "I need to go hunt. That vervain injection took a lot of out of me. Will you be alright here until I get back?"

"I will be fine. Is Elijah…"

"Elijah left just before I came up and Damon is in his room, pouting probably."

I grinned. "Ok. Go hunt, I will be fine."

"You can stay in my room tonight. I will stay in one of the spare rooms."

"Stefan, no, I can't let you give up your room. I will go to one of the spare rooms."

"Elena, I don't mind."

"I would feel guilty for throwing you out of your room. I will go to one of the other bedrooms. But if you really want to do me a favor, I could use something to sleep in. My clothes are umm…" I looked down at my ripped and bloody dress."

Stefan walked over to his dresser and pulled out a dark blue t-shirt and a pair of black boxers. He walked back and handed them to me. "Will this do for now? After I hunt I could go to your house and get you something else?"

"No, this is perfect, thank you."

Stefan left and I made my way down the hall towards one of the spare bedrooms I knew had an attached private bathroom. I passed by Damon's closed bedroom door. I heard his shower running. I opened the door opposite Damon's and walked into the bedroom. I quietly shut the door behind me. I didn't bother with turning on the lights, with my new vampire sight I could see everything clearly in the dark. I walked into the attached bathroom and put the borrowed clothes on the counter by the sink.

My hair was a snarled mess. My dress hung in shreds over me and had blood stains covering almost every inch. I studied my face, I didn't look any different now that I was a vampire. With a sigh I turned away from the mirror and ripped my dress off along with my undergarments and threw them in the corner of the bathroom. I turned on the shower and waited for the water to get hot enough before stepping in. Stefan had lent me soap and shampoo. I washed my hair twice trying to get out the pieces of dried blood. I looked down at my stomach where I had been stabbed. It was completely healed, nobody would have ever known I had just spent a couple of hours being stabbed and tortured. My hands started shaking as I remembered the cruelty of Marcel and Thierry.

My tears mixed with the water from the shower head. I had never been so scared as I had been when I woke up the first time in the basement. I begged and pleaded with Marcel. I even tried to fight back but his friend seemed to like it when I fought back. He would sneer as he ran the sharp blade of his knife over my skin slicing me open. I tried not to scream but when he plunged the knife into my side and shoulder I couldn't help it.

I leaned against the wall of the shower and slid down until I was sitting on the tile floor. I folded my knees into my chest and wrapped my arms around my legs as the sobs wracked my body. The water was starting to cool but I couldn't move or stop crying.

"Elena?" Damon turned off the water. "Elena, I…"

"Damon please, I can't do this now." I managed to whisper between sobs.

He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around me, pulling me to a standing position. He held my hand and I let him pull me out of the shower. He turned away as I dried off and put on Stefan's t-shirt and boxers. He turned and looked at me for a moment then he reached down, picked me up bridal style and carried me to the bed. He pulled back the covers and laid me gently on the bed and wrapped the blankets around me. I curled up on my side. Damon stood by the side of the bed watching me.

I wiped the tears away. "Damon, I know you want to talk to me but please not right now. I can't…"

"I'm not here to talk Elena. I'm here because I love you and I know you are scared and hurt. You went through a lot in that basement. I am here as your dream sharing friend. And as your friend it is my duty to hold you and make you feel safe. So scoot over so that I can lay beside you."

I silently turned over with my back facing him and moved towards the center of the bed giving him enough room to lay down. He climbed into the bed and wrapped his arms around me pulling me tight against his chest. Slowly my tears stopped and my body relaxed. Damon kept his arms firmly wrapped around me and thankfully he kept quiet. I drifted off to sleep feeling safe and warm.


	15. Friends and Enemies - Chapter 15

**DAMON**

I had been trying to give Elena her alone time but when I heard her sobs I couldn't not go to her. My heart ached when I found her curled into a corner of the shower. She was shaking and when she looked up at me her eyes were full of fear before she recognized it was me.

There were so many things I wanted to say. I wanted to apologize, to try to make everything right. But none of that mattered at that moment. She needed my friendship. I held her while she slept. Her hands kept a firm grip on my arms holding them tightly around her. Stefan came into the room a few hours after Elena had fallen asleep. He didn't look particularly happy to see me but he kept quiet, dropping a bag of Elena's clothes and supplies on the chair beside the bed.

Early the next morning I heard a car pulling up in front of the house. Three car doors slammed and someone knocked on the front door. Before waiting for someone to answer it the front door opened and I heard Stefan greeting our guests. I felt Elena stiffen and knew she was awake listening.

"Where's Elena?" Jeremy's voice floated up the stairs.

"Jeremy calm down. She is here but she wanted time."

"She's my sister Stefan, she will want to see me." He demanded.

"What happened Stefan?" Caroline asked softly.

"Why don't we go into the living room and I will fill you in on everything." Stefan tried to play peacekeeper.

I had heard Jeremy and Caroline speak, the third person had so far remained quiet. I assumed it was Bonnie. Elena let go of my arms and turned over on her back. She kept her eyes trained on the ceiling above us.

"Do you want to see them?" I asked quietly.

She didn't answer right away and I gave her time to consider the question. She finally turned her head towards me. "Just Jeremy, I don't want to see Caroline or Bonnie."

"Ok. I will go down and tell them." I slid off the bed and started walking towards the bedroom door. I put my hand on the doorknob and paused. "Stefan brought you some stuff from your house. It's in a bag on the chair."

"Damon, thanks for last night." Elena said quietly.

I nodded and left the room. When I got downstairs I stood in the doorway listening to Stefan fill them in on Elena's kidnapping, death and now vampirism. He paused to let the trio soak in the information. I sauntered into the room.

"And now, she remembers everything. The compulsion is broken and she's a little pissed." I looked Bonnie and Caroline in the eye, they both looked regretful. "Jeremy, she asked to see you."

"We should all go, she probably needs us right now." Caroline started to stand and both Stefan and I blocked her path.

"Elena only wants to see Jeremy. She was very specific about that." I said sternly.

"Damon you can't honestly think you can keep us away from her?"

I laughed sarcastically. "She doesn't want to see me either. I am just delivering the message. This is all her decision I have no influence whatsoever."

Caroline looked at Stefan her eyes pleading. He shook his head. "I'm sorry Caroline she asked for time. She asked that everyone be kept away, all except myself and Jeremy that is."

"Come on Caroline, we should go. She has been through a lot and I'm guessing she is pretty upset with us over the compulsion. We should respect her wishes and give her time." Bonnie pulled on Caroline's arm trying to drag her towards the front door.

"But Bonnie, we are her best friends! She needs us now more than ever. We cant just leave. We should go up there and force her to listen to reason."

"Forcing her right now wouldn't be a good idea. Maybe when she was human that would have worked but she is a vampire now and her emotions are all over the place. You would only make it worse." Stefan tried to explain.

"Fine, we will go, but we will be back." Reluctantly Caroline gave in and Bonnie led her out of the house.

Once Caroline had driven away, Elena came down the stairs and walked into the living room.

"Jeremy." Elena smiled at her brother.

"Elena!" Jeremy rushed towards her and hugged her tightly. Elena hesitated for only a moment before wrapping her arms around him.

Stefan and I quietly left the room to give them some time alone to talk. Stefan followed me into the study. We weren't the only ones in the study. I rolled my eyes groaning when I recognized who was waiting for us.

"Ever hear of knocking Elijah? Or hey, even better, a text message would work even better." Not waiting for a response I poured myself a drink and sat down in one of the overstuffed leather arm chairs.

"How is Elena?" Elijah apparently ignoring my earlier comments directed his question towards Stefan.

"She is coping. I think she had a rough night but she was able to get some sleep and she refused to speak to Bonnie or Caroline." Stefan sat on the sofa opposite Elijah.

"I am guessing she is still not interested in talking to me?"

"I'm not sure. She let Damon comfort her last night."

"I didn't give her an option. I found her sobbing in the shower. She needed someone and I didn't take no for an answer. She didn't want to talk but let me stay with her."

Before Elijah could say anymore I heard a loud crash from the living room and Jeremy yelling.

"Get your hands off my sister!"

The three of us ran to see what was going on. Anger boiled through me when I saw Klaus holding Elena by the throat. He was cutting into her windpipe, not enough to stop her breathing completely but enough to make it difficult.

"Niklaus release her!" Elijah's tone was calm but threatening.

"I will release her as soon as you tell me what you have done with Marcel." Klaus's eyes narrowed.

"I had no other options. He tortured and killed Elena and then attacked me. I am sorry but it had to be done." Elijah slowly inched towards Klaus and Elena.

"I warned you what would happen if you interfered with Marcel." Klaus's grip on Elena's throat tightened.

"You yourself said that Marcel needed to pay for his treachery and now he has. It simply ended up being me that made him pay instead of you. The problem has been solved, now let the girl go." Elijah's jaw clinched but he kept his voice calm.

"He was not to pay with his LIFE! I raised him from a boy and turned him. Do you think I would take his death so lightly? And yet you seem to think I would be happy that you killed him for this pitiful excuse of a girl?" Klaus released his hold on Elena's neck but when she tried to step away from him he grabbed her arm and held her next to him.

She tried to push away from him but he gripped her arm tighter. She winced and glared at him. Klaus looked down at her and smiled. "You would do well to stop trying to fight me sweetheart. I can snap your arm in two like it was nothing."

Elena stopped trying to get away from him and looked at Elijah.

"I am sorry Niklaus but nothing can be done about it now."

"You took something precious from me and now I think you should feel the pain I feel. Maybe that would make you truly remorseful for your actions." Klaus plunged his hand into Elena's chest and gripped her heart. She gasped, her eyes wide with pain and fear.

I made a move towards her. "I will rip her heart out of her chest if you take one more step Salvatore!" Klaus threatened his eyes locked on Elijah's.

"Do not kill her brother!" Elijah half begged, half demanded.

"I had every intention of killing her in front of your eyes, but now I think I have another idea. Something that will have even more impact." Klaus smiled at his brother. "You see if I kill her you will of course mourn for the sweet innocent Elena, but after a few years your pain will lessen and you will go on with your life." He paused for a moment to squeeze Elena's heart causing tears to fall from her eyes.

"I will leave her alive with the agreement that you leave here, now with me, and never see her or have any contact with her again. You will suffer her loss every day for the rest of your miserable existence. Knowing she is alive somewhere in the world, happy and in love with someone else will be your punishment brother." Klaus's face was a mask of polite brotherhood but his words were filled with malice.

"Elijah don't…" Elena's face contorted in pain as Klaus's hand closed harder around her heart.

"Elena, I can't let you be killed." Elijah's face was filled with despair.

Klaus smiled in satisfaction. "So what will it be, brother?"

"Release her. I will agree to your terms but you will allow me a private moment to say goodbye." Elijah's eyes were locked onto Elena's.

"Very well." Klaus released Elena and pushed her towards Elijah. "I will be waiting outside, do not keeping me waiting long or I may rethink letting her live." Without a backward glance Klaus sauntered out the front door.


	16. Chapter 16

**ELENA**

I watched Klaus walk out the front door of the Salvatore house. Elijah gently took my hand in his and led me to the privacy of the study. Tears slipped freely from my eyes.

"I am so sorry Elena, for everything. I know you are angry and hurt but please know that my love was real. I never lied about that." Elijah's voice cracked, he cleared his throat trying to get control of his emotions.

"Elijah, I love you too. I don't want to say goodbye to you." My eyes pleaded with him.

"If there was any other way my love. But Niklaus will make good on his threat, I will not allow you to be killed."

I pulled him to me, hugging him. "I forgive you for everything. You made me come alive and I loved every minute we spent together. I never doubted your love, even when I was upset about the compulsion."

"Eternity is a very long time and maybe one day we will meet again." He pulled away slightly and leaned down, bringing his lips to mine softly. "Promise me you will live your life and be happy. Let yourself be loved by another and love them in return. I want this for you more than anything. Promise?"

"Elijah, please…" I fought back the deep sobs as my heart felt like it was being ripped apart.

I watched as the tears trickled down his cheeks. "Please Elena, do this for me. Promise me. I need to know that you won't stop living, that you will find happiness."

Finally I nodded. "I promise." I whispered reluctantly.

He brought his hand up and gently caressed my cheek with his fingers. "Forgive Damon sweetheart. He did what he did out of love for you. It may have been the wrong choice but he didn't do it to hurt you. He loves you deeply and I know he has regretted his decision for a very long time. Same with Bonnie and Caroline, they thought they were protecting you. I know you love them, so let yourself forgive them. I know you will be happier if you do."

I nodded.

"It's okay you know." He looked at me seriously.

"What?" I didn't know what he meant.

He smiled sadly. "It's okay if you love Damon and want to be with him. He loves you as much as I do."

"Elijah, I…" I sighed. I was confused about how I felt. I remembered my feelings for Damon but my feelings for Elijah were just as intense and real.

Elijah understood my hesitation. "Whatever you decide, my love, just be happy."

"Close your eyes." He gently held my face in his hands. I closed my eyes and he leaned down, kissing me once more. I felt his tears mix with my own as they ran down our cheeks. Before I opened my eyes he was gone. I sat down on the leather sofa, my head in my hands as I let the tears flow.

"Elena? You ok?" Jeremy sat down beside me.

I shook my head unable to speak.

We sat on the sofa side by side, Jeremy placed his arm around me and let me cry for a while before he finally spoke again. "Do you want me to get you anything? Bourbon, blood bag, Klaus's head on a platter?"

I lifted my head and laughed. Jeremy grinned, he was proud of himself for making me laugh.

"Thanks Jer."

He grinned widely. "I have to head back to school in a minute. My flight leaves in an hour. I could stay if you need me to?"

"Thanks Jer but you need to get back to school. I will be fine. Promise." There wasn't much enthusiasm in my voice but I managed a small smile. I hugged him and kissed his cheek.

"Elena, I know I said it earlier, but I really am sorry. The compulsion thing…"

I held up my hand. "Jer, it really is okay. I understand and it's forgotten." I smiled reassuringly at him. "Now let's get you to the airport."

Stefan volunteered to drive Jeremy to the airport leaving Damon and I alone. We sat in awkward silence for a few moments.

"Elena, I know you are going through a lot right now. But I'm here if you need to talk or don't want to talk. Whatever you need."

"Thank you. Damon, listen I…"

"Wait before you say anything I want to say something. I hated compelling you, I regretted it the minute I did it. It killed me to live without you but at the time everyone thought it was been a good idea. That it would allow you to live a normal safe life. I shouldn't have agreed to do it."

"I know you guys thought you were doing a good thing but it wasn't. I never felt completely happy. I knew in my heart there was something missing. Then when all the memories started coming back I felt betrayed."

Damon nodded looking at me sadly.

"But with everything that has happened, I need my friends now more than ever. I forgive you Damon. But don't ever do anything like that to me again. Give me the chance to decide for myself what I think is best for me." I smiled tentatively.

His face brightened and a smile slowly crept over his lips. He walked slowly towards me, lifting his hand and cupping the side of my face. He stared down into my eyes for a moment before lowering his lips to mine. I instantly pulled my lips from his and stepped back. I could tell I had hurt him but I couldn't kiss him, not right then, not having just said goodbye to Elijah.

Damon watched me for a moment. I felt so many emotions that I couldn't seem to get a grip on. My hands were shaking and my eyes filled with tears again. He took a step towards me. I looked up at him and saw his eyes were filled with concern. I shook my head and ran. I was out of the door before he had a chance to grab me and keep me in the house. I ran into the woods and didn't stop until I thought I was far enough away that he wouldn't be able to find me.

I leaned against a large tree trying to clear my mind. I wasn't even winded and my muscles weren't burning like they usually did when I went on a long run. Another side effect of vampirism I added to the growing list of my new talents. I whipped my head around as the sound of heavy footsteps and crunching leafs interrupted my thoughts. I quickly climbed the tree behind me and watched as a man in his 30's walked by. I could hear his heartbeat, the blood flowing through his body and I was suddenly overwhelmed with hunger. Instincts took over and I was no longer the sweet innocent Elena, I was predatory vampire Elena. I silently dropped out of the tree behind the man. The closer I got the more I could smell his blood and my mouth started to water.

I felt my fangs start to protrude and the veins under my eyes rippled. I jumped him from behind and sunk my fangs into his neck. He tried to fight me off but I held onto him firmly and as I took deep pulls from his neck his movements became sluggish. I held him upright when his legs threatened to give out.

Before I had the chance to react I was thrown away from the man and into a tree. I heard a rib crack and winced at the pain but my body instinctively went into a protective crouch and I growled. I watched Damon feeding the man his blood and compel him to forget what had just happened to him. His neck slowly healed and the man turned to walk back the way he had come from.

Damon turned back towards me. I slowly stood up. My rib had already healed and the pain was gone. I wiped the back of my hand across my mouth and looked down at the blood.

"Damon?" I whimpered.

He watched me cautiously. "He is okay but we need to teach you the proper way to feed. You almost killed him."

"I want more." I couldn't understand how I could still be hungry after that but I was.

"How much blood have you had since your transition?"

"The one blood bag and what I just drank."

"No wonder you are hungry." He walked slowly towards me. "I can help you, if you let me." He stopped just in front of me and held out his hand. "Let me teach you, Elena."

I looked down at his hand and slowly placed my hand in his.

* * *

 **Elijah fans don't worry, this won't be the last we will see of him. :)**


	17. Chapter 17

For a month I spent my nights with Damon who tried to teach me how to control my blood lust. He engrained his motto into my head: "snatch, eat, erase". It hadn't been easy and there had been a few close calls but true to his word Damon stayed by my side and kept me from killing anyone. In order to stay undetected by the local citizens in Mystic Falls, Damon and I took field trips to a few surrounding cities that were a bit larger and therefore easier for us to blend into the crowd. We went to night clubs mostly in cities like Roanoke, Newport and Richmond.

Most of my daytimes were spent with Ric and Stefan learning how to effectively defend myself should I ever be attacked. Stefan tried to encourage me to adopt a diet like his, but we found I was more like Damon in my tastes and ability to be able to handle human blood. The first and only time I hunted with Stefan, I had to work hard to keep the animal blood down after we fed on a large deer and it didn't quench my thirst at all.

During one of our nights out of town Damon and I crashed a college party. I learned first hand about what happens when a vampire is high on blood. I had already drank blood from three cocky college guys and had just bitten the fourth, taking two or three quick pulls from the vein in his neck before releasing the short muscular red head and compelling him to forget what had just happened as we danced in a dark corner of the crowded room. I was floating on a wave of ecstasy when I felt Damon come up behind me. He placed his hands on my hips and pulled me to him.

"Having fun?" His voice was low and husky in my ear. I could tell he was feeling the high from the feed just like I was and something in my stomach fluttered.

I turned to face him and was instantly mesmerized by the blood running down his chin. I brought my mouth to his chin and licked the blood. His blue eyes turned dark and suddenly his hands were everywhere at once. His touch was sending burning sparks through my whole body and my eyes locked onto his. He grabbed my hand and led me outside. We barely made it into the front seat of his car before our mouths connected and his hands were pulling off my shirt. When his tongue forced it's way into my mouth a hungry primeval groan came up from the back of my throat.

I somehow managed to crawl onto his lap, my legs straddling him, my chest pushed against his, my back against the steering wheel, as we continued to kiss and grope each other. I reached down between us and undid his pants. He moved his hips barely up off the seat and slid his pants and boxer briefs to his knees. When my hand closed over him his body shuddered and his kisses momentarily became clumsy. I felt him growl against my lips as his mouth pressed harder, almost painfully, against mine. My hand ran up and down his length causing it to become unbelievably hard. I felt Damon's hands slide my short denim skirt up until my lacy black underwear were fully visible.

I groaned when his fingers touched my wet sensitive middle. With a quick flick of his hand my underwear were ripped off me and his hands were guiding my hips over him. I slowly lowered my hips sliding his full length deep into me. I pulled my mouth from his as a gasp escaped my lips. The blood high we were both still riding had created a hunger that had nothing to do with food or blood. I moved my hips up and down his length with a quick and deep abandon. When I felt the telltale signs of my climax something wild was released in me and my fangs slid down as the veins rippled under my eyes. When the climax hit I growled and my teeth sunk into Damon's neck. I drank deeply and felt his body shudder and jerk under me as he reached his climax deep inside me.

I licked at the tiny wounds that were already healing on Damon's neck. He wrapped his arms around me and held me against him for several minutes. I let my body relax, laying my head in the crook of his neck.

"I'm sorry I bit you. I don't know why I did that." I whispered softly when my breathing had slowed and my heart had stopped racing in my chest.

Damon chuckled. "You have nothing to be sorry for. It is a natural vampire instinct." He turned his head and kissed my forehead.

I lifted my head and looked at him. "Did I hurt you?"

He smiled at me softly. "No, quite the opposite actually."

"Are you just trying to make me feel better? I mean you didn't try to bite me."

"Elena." His eyes turned serious. "I am not just trying to make you feel better. It is a part of being a vampire. It is normal and just because I didn't bite you doesn't mean I didn't want to. I wanted to believe me, but I resisted it to allow you to feed from me for as long as you wanted."

"You could now, if you wanted." I pulled my hair way from my neck and looked at him.

He smiled and slowly lowered his mouth to my neck where he kissed it softly and then slowly his fangs pierce the skin and I felt him pulling my blood into him. I closed my eyes, he was right, it didn't hurt. It was the opposite of hurt actually. I felt the stirrings of hunger for him start to rise up again. I almost groaned when he released me and pulled his mouth away from my neck.

"You weren't lying, it didn't hurt." I was feeling a little hazy and my smile must have given away how affected I was by his bite because he laughed.

"There are many things you still have to learn about this life and I will gladly teach you each and every one." He kissed the tip of my nose. "But I think we should end vampire 101 for the night and head home."

I frowned slightly and sighed. "Alright."

Damon chuckled as I sadly moved off his lap. I found my shirt and slid it back on as Damon pulled his underwear and pants back up, zipping and buttoning them before starting the car and pulling out of the parking lot. I fell asleep before we hit the highway. Learning how to be a vampire was exhausting.


	18. Chapter 18

I slept through the car ride home. Damon lifted me out of the car and carried me inside the house. He quickly climbed the stairs and quietly slipped into the room across from his. I woke up just as he was laying me on the bed. I smiled when he lightly kissed the top of my head. I opened my eyes just as he turned to leave.

I reached out and grabbed his hand. "Damon…" I looked up into his blue eyes that were watching me curiously. "Don't go."

I moved towards the center of the bed to give him room. He kicked off his shoes and slid into the bed laying on his side facing me. His hand reached up and pushed a lock of my hair back behind my ear.

"You doing okay?" Damon asked softly.

"Yeah. I never thought that I would become a vampire but you, Stefan and Alaric have been great and I think I am adjusting okay."

"You have done remarkably well but that's not what I was talking about."

I looked at him, confusion filled my eyes.

"I know you miss him. As much as I would love to forget his existence I know that you love him and I want you to know that you can talk to me about it."

I nodded my head. I knew we would eventually come around to this topic one day but I wasn't ready to deal with those feelings yet.

"I do miss Elijah and yes I do love him. But none of that matters. Klaus made it clear what he would do." I sighed and rolled over, my eyes stared up at the ceiling above the bed carefully avoiding looking at Damon.

"What if Klaus could be eliminated? What if you wouldn't need to worry about what he would do?"

I turned my head towards Damon's and stared into his eyes for a minute. He kept his face a perfect mask of indifference but I could see the sadness in his eyes.

"Damon, I don't see the point in even discussing this. Klaus is Klaus and this is the reality that we have to deal with." I turned my head back towards the ceiling fighting the tears that were threatening to expose how deeply I was hurting.

"Elena, please talk to me." He gently put his fingers under my chin and pulled my face back towards his. "If Klaus could be dealt with, would that change things?"

"If, in this imaginary world you speak of, Elijah and I were free from Klaus's interference then I guess…" I tried to turn my head away from him but he held my chin firmly in his fingers. Sighing I continued. "Then I guess I would have a choice to make and it would be the hardest choice of my life. But can we please just drop it." My voice hitched and I quickly wiped away the tears that had slipped down my cheeks.

Damon let go of my chin and I went back to staring at the ceiling.

"I would fight for you. Just remember that if the day ever comes. I would fight for you until I gave my last breath."

I turned back towards him, wrapping my arms around him and resting my head on his chest. "I know, but if something ever happened to you I am not sure I could survive it. I love you, Damon." Just the thought of Damon dying or someone harming him sent my emotions into overdrive. Which isn't hard to do since I am a new vampire but I felt the veins start to ripple under my eyes and I felt my eyes scanning the room looking for any potential danger. Damon who was watching me intently ran his fingers lightly over the veins under my eyes.

"It's okay Elena. There is no danger here right now. Take a deep breath."

I closed my eyes, nodded and took a couple of deep breaths letting my body relax. I opened my eyes and smiled apologetically at him. He smiled my favorite smirk-y smile and I softly kissed his lips before snuggling closer to him

I wasn't sure who I would choose if given the choice. I had grown close to Elijah and I did love him. But then there was Damon, even when my memories had been compelled away I had been drawn to him. I couldn't deny the depth of the feelings I had for him. I had watched Elijah walked away from me and it had hurt deeply. How would I feel if Damon were to be the one to leave? I felt my emotions start to spiral and I took a few more deep breaths willing myself to calm down.

Damon smiled and wrapped his arms tightly around me. We must have fallen asleep because the next thing I was aware of was Stefan softly calling my name as the sun shone through the window hurting my eyes. Moaning I covered my eyes.

"Stefan?"

"Sorry to disturb you but Caroline has been trying to reach you all morning and when she couldn't get a hold of you she started calling me."

"Ugh she is persistent. Sorry Stefan, I will call her right now." He grinned and quietly left the room, softly closing the door behind him.

I slid out of bed and found my phone laying on the floor. There were about a million text messages and several voicemails from Caroline. I looked at Damon still sleeping on the bed. I smiled at his relaxed face. He really was a handsome man. I walked to the side of the bed and gently kissed his cheek.

"Go call Blondie before she sends out FBI to look for you." He opened his eyes slowly and smirked at me. I giggled and kissed his lips before I slipped into the bathroom and dialed Caroline's number.

"Elena! I have been calling you all morning! Where have you been? Why haven't you called me back?"

"I was asleep in bed like a normal person Caroline. Damon and I had a late night of vampire practice. What is so important you had to get Stefan to play messenger?"

"Do you think you are ready to have lunch with Bonnie and I? We haven't seen you alone in a month and we miss you."

Caroline and Bonnie had moved into my house but I had been staying with Damon and Stefan until we were sure I had my blood lust and emotions under control. The only time I had been allowed to spend any time with my two best friends Damon, Alaric or Stefan had chaperoned.

"You are ready my love. Go have a girl's day." Damon whispered in my ear. I turned to look at him. He smiled and nodded. "It will be okay."


	19. Chapter 19

"Well Elena?"

"When and where?"

Caroline squealed in delight. "Let's start slow. Just come to the house and we will make something here. How is noon?"

That was only an hour away but I had to admit I was excited to see my friends without the prying eyes of my male chaperones. I quickly got Caroline off the phone and stepped into the shower. Damon had disappeared to his room or the kitchen. I listened but I couldn't hear him or anyone in the house. I finished my shower and let my hair air dry while I put on make up and picked an outfit. Caroline had brought over a large selection of my clothes when everyone decided it was best if I stayed with Damon and Stefan for a while.

I took one last look in the mirror and went downstairs. Damon was waiting at the bottom of the stairs holding his keys out.

"You are going to let me drive your car?" I tried to grab the keys but he kept a firm grip on them.

"You better not bring it back with a single scratch. Drive the speed limit and obey all traffic signs…"

"Damon…"

He held up his hand. "I'm not finished. Do not, under any circumstances, text or talk on the phone while you are driving." He looked at me seriously.

"Damon seriously, I have been driving since I was 16 and have not once had any accidents or tickets."

"Yes but you were never driving a real car before."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Fine I will make sure it comes back to you in the same condition it left in."

He finally let go of the keys. I started to walk towards the door but he stepped in front of me. "Damon I promised I would be careful. Now would you please move, I am going to be late."

"Bring yourself back unharmed as well." His lips descended onto mine and I was momentarily distracted from my lunch date. I wrapped my arms around him. I nibbled at his lip and grinned when he growled. He was the first to pull away. He grinned down at me. "Go before Caroline comes and kicks down the door to find you."

It felt weird to be going somewhere alone. I was excited and nervous to see my friends. Everyone had faith that I could handle it but I was afraid of letting them all down. I took a deep breath and drove the short distance to my house. Caroline and Bonnie came running out of the front door when I slowly pulled into the driveway. I put the car in park and turned off the motor. I didn't get a chance to open the car door. Caroline had it open and was pulling me into a hug. I stiffened at first but when I didn't feel like biting her I relaxed. Bonnie watched me cautiously, I smiled at her shyly.

"Hi Bonnie." I said softly. She smiled and gave me a quick cautious hug.

"It's good to see you Elena." Caroline grabbed my hand and pulled me past Bonnie into the house. Bonnie followed behind us.

Caroline led us into the kitchen and motioned for me to sit at the counter. Bonnie sat down beside me while Caroline poured us all a drink. I stared curiously at my glass.

"Is that okay? Damon said you preferred A+. If you want something else I can get it for you."

"No this is perfect. I just didn't expect you to get me blood. Thank you."

"How is your vampire training going?" Bonnie asked quietly.

"It's okay. I am getting better at controlling the thirst. I am still having a hard time controlling the emotions though. Stefan has taken the brunt of my outbursts. Damon seems to be the only one that can calm me down when I get angry."

"You get angry at Stefan?" Bonnie looked amused.

"Only when he is training me to fight. When we spar sometimes I get lost in the moment especially when he has me cornered. We have lost count of how many of his bones I have broken."

Caroline and Bonnie laughed. Everyone relaxed after that and we were able to slip back into our roles as best friends. The rest of lunch was filled with Caroline giving us the latest details of a guy she had her eye on at work. It felt nice to laugh and to feel a sense of normalcy.

"We were wondering when you might be ready to move back in?" Bonnie smiled.

"We miss you Elena and if this lunch is any indication we think you are ready. Neither of us is afraid that you will eat us." Caroline giggled as she said the last part.

While it felt nice to be back with my friends and I knew I was going to have to get back to normal, well as normal as I could now, I had to fight the panic that threatened to consume me. "I don't know guys. A couple more weeks? I want to make sure that I can control myself. How about we hang out a few more times and even try going to the grill to see how it goes?" I grinned hesitantly and tried to hide the panic.

"I think that sounds like a plan! We have a plan, this is so exciting! We will finally be back together again." Caroline hugged me and Bonnie looked happy.


	20. Chapter 20

When I got back to the Salvatore house nobody was there. I poured myself a glass of Damon's bourbon and went upstairs to change. I put on my favorite pink tank top and a pair of black cotton shorts. I pulled my hair up into a messy loose pony tail. I wandered into Damon's room. I picked up a pile of clothes off the floor and put them on a chair beside his dresser. There was a damp towel draped over the footboard of his bed. I picked it up and walked to the dirty clothes hamper just inside his bathroom entry. I started to drop it in but brought it up to my nose inhaling Damon's familiar scent. The mixture of his shampoo and aftershave was intoxicating. I dropped it into the hamper and turned back to the bedroom.

I finished the rest of the bourbon and sat the glass on the dresser. "I wonder where Damon and Stefan went." Shrugging I pulled open the sheer curtains, opened the glass door and stepped onto the balcony that looked out onto the front driveway. My vampire hearing instantly picked up footsteps coming from the edge of the woods. I scanned the trees. Stopping when someone stepped out into the clearing in front of the house.

"Elena…" His voice was barely above a whisper but I heard him easily. I closed my eyes and shook my head. Slowly I opened my eyes and looked back towards the woods. He wasn't a figment of my imagination. He was really there watching me with those intense brown eyes I knew so well.

"Elijah." My body took over, acting on instinct, I jumped over the balcony and gracefully dropped to the ground several feet below me. Taking off at a run I reached him in seconds and launched myself into his open arms. He held me tightly and protectively. Tears tumbled down my cheeks and onto the shoulder of his jacket.

"I have missed you so much." I managed to mumble through the tears.

"I have missed you too my love." Elijah kissed the side of my head.

"Elijah, where is Klaus? How is it you are here?" I pulled away from him reluctantly.

His lips turned up into a small but sad smile. "Klaus is, shall we say, taking a much needed relaxing vacation."

"How long will he be gone on this vacation?"

"Judging by how mad Rebekah and Finn were I would say at least a hundred years." Elijah grinned.

I wanted to ask him to explain but Damon and Stefan interrupted before I could ask any more.

I jumped when Damon started talking from behind me. I had been so distracted by Elijah that I hadn't heard or sensed him approach. I turned back to look at Damon but he was avoiding eye contact with me, he was focused solely on Elijah. I saw a brief flicker of what looked like anger flash in his eyes. I turned back towards Elijah to see what had made Damon so angry. I looked down at my hands when I realized that Elijah had my hands firmly grasped in his. Blushing I gently pulled my hands out of Elijah's.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Damon still was avoiding looking at me. Stefan walked up beside him.

"What my brother means is how is it you are here, what about Klaus?"

"Klaus isn't going to be a problem for a long while. My siblings decided Klaus needed to take some time to think about his actions."

"So in other words he is lying staked in a coffin somewhere in New Orleans." Stefan didn't smile but he seemed slightly amused. Damon on the other hand didn't look happy or amused and he was being uncharacteristically quiet.

While Stefan and Elijah were talking I stayed quiet, my mind racing. Elijah had come back for me. If Klaus was out of the picture then there was no threat. I studied Elijah while he was explaining what happened with his siblings. But was this what I wanted? What about Damon? The thought of leaving here with Elijah and not having Damon in my life almost took my breathe away as the panic started to rise up inside me. I turned my head and looked at Damon. He was finally looking at me, his expression told me he knew exactly what was going on inside my head. I wanted to reach out to him, to pull him to me and wrap my arms around him. But I couldn't move, I looked back at Elijah. I knew what it felt like to lose him and it hurt. If I chose Damon I would lose Elijah I had survived that once but could I survive it again? I didn't have a choice last time I had to let him go or die. This time it was all on me, I had to make a choice, a choice I was not prepared for.

When I looked back at Damon he was again avoiding eye contact. He had been my rock the past month. I could always go to him with anything that I was feeling. When I was angry at Stefan after training it was Damon who could calm me. Now when I needed the support the most I couldn't go to the one person I had come to depend on.

My emotions were all over the place, my body began to shake as I started to lose control of them. Elijah was the first to notice and took a step towards me. I took a step backwards. Damon looked up at me his hand reached out to me, willing me to go to him. I looked between Damon and Elijah.

Fighting the panic, tears and anger I turned and fled into the trees. I ran with no idea where I was going. I just needed to put distance between myself and the two men who were each expecting me to make a near impossible choice.

After several minutes I stopped running and used my vamp hearing to see if anyone was following me. I heard someone moving slowly in my direction. I quickly climbed the nearest tree and sat quietly waiting to see who was following me. When he finally came into view I breathed a sigh of relief. I jumped out of the tree and landed softly on the ground in front of Ric.

"So I hear you have had an interesting afternoon." Alaric smiled at me.

"You could say that."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"How did you know where to find me?"

"Stefan called me and told me he thought you might need someone to talk to. He pointed me in the general direction you headed and I hoped you would run in a straight line."

I nodded. "How do I choose and lose one of them?"

Ric sat down on the forest floor with his back against a big tree trunk, I sat down beside him. We sat in silence for several minutes before he spoke.

"You love them both?"

I nodded silently.

"I wish I had some magical word that would make it all clear and painless but I don't. However, I do want to say one thing. Damon has loved you and sacrificed his own wants for you, to make your life better. He stood by when you and Stefan were together. He fought to protect you when Stefan turned off his humanity and then compelled you to forget him and your feelings for him to keep you safe even though it nearly broke him to do it."

"I know Ric and I do love him more than I ever imagined was possible. But Elijah loves me too, even if he hasn't sacrificed things like Damon. When I choose one I will lose the other and more importantly I will hurt one of them. I cannot even begin to tell you what that is making me feel like right now."

"Elena you have already given up Elijah once and you survived. Could you say the same if you lost Damon? Even when you were compelled to forget Damon you were still drawn to him. I know I am not the most unbiased person when it comes to who I think you should pick. But just think about what I have said. You have lost Elijah once, you missed him and were sad but you survived. And just because Klaus is out of the picture now doesn't mean he will stay that way. He has a long memory, so once someone pulls the dagger out of his heart you and Elijah will be right back to where you were a month or so ago."

I sighed and leaned against Ric. "Can we just sit here for a little while. I don't really want to go back yet."

"Sure. We can sit here as long as you need."


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: I apologize for the very long delay in updates. I am in college and the past semester has been a crazy one that demanded all my attention and left little to no free time. I also found it difficult to sit down and have a creative thought as far as writing. My mind and creative efforts were so focused on school that when I sat down to write all I could think of was school assignments I needed to be working on. So hopefully posting several chapters in a day will make up for the delay a little.**

 **Thanks for your patience!**

 **DAMON**

Seeing Elijah emerge from the trees in front of the house was surprising. I watched Elena jump from my balcony and race into his arms. Every fiber of my being wanted to go and rip her out of his arms and take her far away from Elijah. Stefan placed his hand on my arm, shaking his head at me when I turned to look at him.

"She is in danger with him Stefan. Where Elijah is, Klaus isn't far behind. Did you forget the last time Klaus was here?"

"I haven't forgotten. But if you are thinking you can take on Elijah then you forget that he is as strong and maybe even more cunning than Klaus. Do you honestly think you would survive a confrontation with him?"

"Maybe not but I wouldn't go down so easily brother. I could probably do a bit of damage to his pretty face before he could take me down." I smiled smugly.

Annoyingly the next words out of Stefan's mouth stopped the plan that was forming in my head before it became a concrete idea.

"And what damage would that do to Elena? Do you honestly think she would stand by and just let you two rip each other apart? She would get in the middle and probably get herself killed trying to stop it."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Fine. But you have to admit him being here puts her in danger."

"It puts us all in danger. But maybe we should go find out why he is risking her life by showing up before we make any judgments."

We walked quickly towards Elijah. I kept my eyes on Elena, her attention was so fully on Elijah that she showed no signs she heard Stefan and I approach them. She jumped when I started talking. I felt the anger rising inside me, and maybe a little hurt that she seemed to have forgotten my existence now that Elijah was here. I avoided making eye contact with her. She was always able to tell what I was feeling by looking into my eyes. I couldn't hide much from her and I was not going to allow her to see how much her standing hand in hand with Elijah was affecting me.

Just like her I could tell exactly what was going through her head most of the time and I watched the crazy mix of emotions play across her face as Stefan and Elijah were talking. She looked on the edge of a breakdown. She turned and looked at me and I saw it all in her eyes. The panic, the pain and even a little anger. She would have had these same emotions even if she were still human but now that she was a new vampire they were so much more extreme and she hadn't learned to control it yet. I ached to go to her as I had so many times before but my pride stopped me.

Maybe it was my imagination but seemed like she was looking at me and saying goodbye. It felt like a dagger in my heart. She looked back towards Elijah and I forced my eyes away from her again. I needed a drink. I tried to concentrate on what Elijah and Stefan were talking about but my mind drifted to that morning when Elena lay asleep snuggled in my arms. It had been my name she had murmured in her sleep, not his.

"Elena?" Elijah's voice jolted me out of the memory. He was looking at her with concern. She was standing next to him, her whole body shaking, he took a step forward and she instantly took a step back like a scared wild animal. I couldn't resist the instinct to try and protect her. I reached my hand out to her. She looked between Elijah and me a couple of times before turning and disappearing into the trees. I started to go after her but Stefan grabbed my arm.

"It's not you she needs this time Damon."

"What?! You think she needs him?" I spat at Stefan.

"No, I don't think she needs Elijah either. Let's go inside and I will call Alaric."

"Fine, I wanted to get a drink anyways."

Elijah and I followed Stefan into the house. I poured myself a full glass of bourbon and collapsed onto the sofa. Stefan called Alaric who was just pulling up in front of the house. Stefan went out to tell him what had happened and point him in the direction Elena had disappeared.

"Has she been happy?" Elijah stood staring out the window.

"It has been a work in progress. She has had to deal with a lot recently."

He nodded and we went back to our own thoughts.

Stefan walked back into the house. "Alaric will call us when he finds her."

We sat in silence for a silence for an hour before Ric called to say they were headed back. I poured another drink and tried to prepare myself for what I feared was about to happen.

"Giving up so easily? I expected more from the famous Salvatore brother." Elijah said from the behind the book he had started reading sometime during the past hour.

"I have not given up, I am just thirsty."

"At one point I would have been very confident that she would choose me but I saw the way she looked at you out front."

"What can I say? I have that affect on women. They are always falling for my irresistible charms." I shrugged.

Elijah laid down his book and looked at me, crooking his eyebrow. I saw Stefan shaking his head. I ignored them both and went back to sitting silently drinking my bourbon.

 **ELENA**

I am not sure how long Ric and I sat side by side without talking but I was grateful for the time. I was able to get control of my emotions and do some soul searching.

"Elena, I should probably call Stefan and let him know I found you. They will all be worried."

"We should probably head back. I can't hide out here forever." I slowly stood up and brushed the leaves off my butt and legs.

"Have you made a decision?"

"Now there's the million-dollar question. I am quite curious about that myself."

Ric pulled me behind him. I wasn't sure how he thought he was going to protect me from an original vampire but I stayed behind him anyways as I glared at Klaus.

"Aren't you supposed to be laying in a coffin with a pretty dagger in your heart?" I was proud that my voice was steady and strong instead of small and quivering in fear like I felt at the sight of Klaus.

Klaus laughed and smiled at me as if we were long lost friends. "My siblings did manage to surprise me. I didn't think they had it in them to best me. However, in my many years on this earth I have learned to always be prepared with an emergency plan."

"So you managed to escape your coffin and the first place you figured you would visit is Mystic Falls? Pardon me if I don't feel honored." I moved slowly in front of Ric. I figured I had more of a chance of protecting him than the other way around.

"Now don't be rude my dear. You know perfectly well why I am here. I suspect that Elijah ran here the second the dagger pierced my heart. But let's not quarrel, I want to hear your answer to the earlier question."

"Why would I tell you?"

"Come on sweetheart you can tell me. Who's heart will you be breaking today. Will it be my loyal and honorable brother or the impetuous Salvatore boy?"

"Elena I think we should head back to the house. They are expecting us to show up there any minute." Ric tried to grab my arm and move me away from Klaus but Klaus closed the distance between us.

"You will go to the house and tell them Elena needed a few more minutes alone. She will be along shortly but you will not mention my presence. Now go."

I knew that Ric drank vervain tea every day and that the compulsion wouldn't work. I nodded slightly, telling him to do as Klaus said. I didn't want to risk his life. Ric turned and headed back towards the Salvatore's house leaving me alone with Klaus who had turned his attention back to me.

"Now sweetheart. Have you made your choice of mates?"

I refused to answer him, folding my arms stubbornly in front of my chest I gave him my best "eat dirt and die" scowl.

Klaus laughed but it wasn't a friendly laugh. He leaned down and looked into my eyes. Unlike Ric I couldn't ingest vervain and I wasn't wearing any.

"Have you made your choice of mates?"

Powerless to resist I answered. "Yes."

"Excellent! Was that so hard? Now sweetheart who has won your heart?"

My answer came out so softly I almost thought even Klaus couldn't have heard me until he smiled.

"Well I am surprised but this may work out better for me than I had planned. Let's go deliver the wonderful news shall we?"

Reluctantly, I followed Klaus toward the Salvatore house. The closer we got to the house the more I had to fight the urge to run away. With Klaus involved it made the situation all the more dramatic and painful.

Klaus must have sensed my urge to run. As soon as we stepped out of the trees and into the front yard of the house he grabbed my arm firmly and guided me to the front door.


	22. Chapter 22

We barely made it inside the door when everything went to hell. Damon tried attacking Klaus but Klaus easily threw him back. Stefan came at him from behind but again Klaus seemed to anticipate his every move and threw Stefan across the room where he landed on a wooden table that collapsed underneath him. Elijah had a moment of shock at seeing his brother but then his face became a mask of indifference.

"Hello brother. I am quite disappointed to find you here. Instead of helping me after our siblings daggered me you chose to run back to this girl. While I admit I quite like her feisty attitude I cannot see how she is worthy of betraying your own family for."

"Niklaus, release her. You were far from innocent and deserved what Rebekah and Finn did to you."

"Come now Elijah, did you really think I wouldn't make good on my threats where you and this girl were concerned?" Klaus tightened his grip on my arm causing me to whimper. I heard Damon growling but I kept my eyes on the ground. If I looked at Damon he would see the fear and pain and he would get himself killed trying to save me.

"If you dare harm her Niklaus, what Rebekah and Finn did to you will look like child's play." Elijah took a step forward.

Klaus laughed. "Always the nobel protector. I know a little secret about the precious Elena. She has made her choice between you and the Salvatore brother. I have to say I was quite surprised. I am sure everyone is dying to know, aren't you?"

Damon flew at Klaus and managed to knock him backwards. I was finally free from Klaus' grip. I rubbed my arm just as Klaus recovered and grabbed Damon by the neck and slammed him against the wall. Something inside me snapped, the veins rippled under my eyes and my fangs slid into place. I launched myself at Klaus. Elijah tried to stop me but I was too fast. I knocked Klaus to the ground landing on top of him. I grabbed a leg of the wooden table Stefan had landed on earlier and brought it down towards Klaus' heart. He grabbed my hand hard enough that I heard bones cracking. I dropped the makeshift stake. He flipped us over so that he was on top before grabbing me by the neck and standing us up.

He kept his grip on my neck as he moved me in front of him. He turned us at an angle that only Elijah was able to see exactly what he was about to do. He brought his mouth down to my neck and sunk his teeth painfully into my skin. I watched Elijah's mask of indifference melt into pure rage as he landed a well aimed punch to Klaus' head. I collapsed to the floor as Klaus was forced to release me when Elijah continued his assault.

My neck had begun to burn where Klaus had bit me. I felt the burning slowly spreading into my veins. I had seen Damon almost die after a werewolf bite and knew the only cure was Klaus' blood. I doubted he would give it to me willingly. Elijah had managed to force Klaus out of the house as they fought. I sat up and put my hand over the wound on my neck.

"Elena, are you okay? What were you thinking attacking him like that? He could have killed you instantly." Damon knelt in front of me.

"He was going to kill you Damon. I had to do something." I tried to smile at him but my neck was starting to really hurt.

Damon pulled me into his arms and hugged me tightly. I tried to keep quiet but a soft whimper escaped my lips. Damon pulled back instantly and finally noticed my hand that was covering the wound on my neck. He reached up and gently moved my hand. When he saw the messy bite mark his anger was palpable.

"I'm okay. It only hurts a little." I tried to smile reassuringly but I could see the war he was fighting emotionally. He was feeling murderous and wanted to go find Klaus but he also didn't want to leave me. "Can you help me up and over to the sofa?"

Damon swiftly picked me up and gently sat me on the sofa. Stefan handed me a drink. I gulped it down without looking. It burned but I felt a little better afterwards. Damon sat beside me and I leaned against his shoulder. I could feel the werewolf venom swimming deeper and deeper through my veins. I closed my eyes when the room started to spin.

"How long do we have?" Stefan asked Damon quietly.

"I'm not sure. When I got bit it was barely a nick. This is a full on bite to a major artery by an original."

"I am going to go find Elijah and Klaus." I listened to Stefan's footsteps get further and further away.

"Damon…"

"I'm here baby." He kissed the top of my head.

"I'm so thirsty."

"Do you want me to get you some water?"

"I need blood, please Damon."

"I will get you a couple of blood bags. Stay here I will be right back."

I nodded laying my head back on the sofa.

The thirst became over-powering, all I could think of was blood. I needed it. I turned my head and stared at the front door which was still open.

 **DAMON**

"Do you want me to heat these up? Or do you prefer them cold?" I called up to Elena from the basement. When she didn't answer I raced up the stairs to an empty living room. "Elena?" I didn't hear anyone else in the house. I turned and saw the opened front door. "Shit!"

I pulled out my phone and quickly called Stefan. "I am a little busy at the moment Damon."

"Elena took off. I would imagine the hallucinations and cravings have hit full force if she is following the pattern I remember."

"I am with Elijah we will head into town."

"I will meet you there." I raced out the door and jumped into my car.

Good old Mystic Falls was as usual, having some sort of festival to celebrate national donut day or something trivial like that. The town square was filled with people. Closing my eyes I allowed my ears to scan the area. "Elena? Is that you? Your eyes, are you okay?" I ran as fast as I could in a crowd of humans toward the voices. Stefan and Elijah arrived at the same time. Elena stood in a dark alley two bodies at her feet. Her hands and mouth covered in blood.

Elijah walked towards her slowly. "Elena, my love, let's get you home and cleaned up."

She looked at him with a bewildered expression for a minute. "Elijah, I am so hungry. I…" Her body doubled over and she expelled all that she had just consumed. "Oh god! What have I done? I killed them… Why…"

Elijah pulled her into his arms and lifted her up walking away from the two bodies. "It's the werewolf venom. I promise we will fix this." She nodded her head weakly as tears streamed down her face. Elijah looked at me. "I will take her back to your house while you two get rid of the bodies."

"Elijah, we need Klaus' blood and soon. I doubt he would give it to Damon or I."

"I will get it if I have to kill him and drain his blood myself. But first we need to clean this up and get Elena back to the house." He took off leaving Stefan and I standing staring at the two bodies laying on the ground.

"This brings back memories." I looked at Stefan pointedly.

"Not memories I care to drudge up. Let's get this over with so we can get back and send Elijah to find Klaus."

When Stefan and I got back to the house Elijah was waiting impatiently.

"Elena is up in what I assume is her bedroom. I will be back as soon as I can." He disappeared before we could respond. I ran up the stairs and into Elena's room. She was so pale. I crawled into the bed beside her. She slowly turned her head towards me and opened her eyes for a moment.

"Damon, I'm so tired." She allowed me to pull her into my arms.

"Close your eyes and rest baby. I will be right here." I kissed her forehead. I felt her body relax in my arms. Tears filled my eyes. I wouldn't survive in a world without her in it. I brought her hand up to my lips and kissed her palm. I felt a surge of panic when I saw that her finger tips were slowly turning grey. "Elena?" She didn't respond. "Elena please say something." The grey was moving up each finger slowly but noticeable. I shook her. "Elena!?"

"She has slipped into unconsciousness Damon. She can't hear you." Stefan looked down at me, his expression full of pity for me and anguish.

"NO! Don't act like she is gone. She is still here dammit!"

"Damon…"

"NO! Don't you dare say it!" I wiped away the tears that were falling down my cheeks angrily. Stefan nodded and slowly walked out of the room leaving me alone with Elena. I closed my eyes and entered her mind as I had done so many times before. I saw her standing in the middle of the road a short distance away. It was night time and the trees that surrounded us cast long shadows on the ground. I jogged the short distance to Elena. She opened her arms to me and I allowed her to envelope me in an embrace.

"Where are we?" I asked her curiously.

"Don't you recognize it?" She smiled at me. I looked around more closely.

I smiled down at her fondly. "This is where we met the first time."

She nodded. "Let's go sit on the grass, I am feeling a little tired."

I let her lead us to the grass and sat beside her. She leaned against me and we sat without speaking for a few moments.

"Damon, I want you to promise me something."

"I will promise you the world."

"Promise me that you will go on and be happy. Don't do anything wreck-less or crazy. Stefan needs you."

I turned to face her. "Elena you cannot ask me to promise you that."

She looked up into my eyes. "Please Damon. I need to know you will go on and live your life."

I glared at her. "Why are you giving up? Elijah has gone to get Klaus."

"We both know that Klaus won't voluntarily help."

"I can't live in a world where you don't exist Elena."

"What about Stefan?"

"He is a big boy. I am sure he will survive just fine without me. He spent decades doing just that."

She sighed and leaned against me again. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her to me as tightly as I could.

When she spoke again her voice was weak. "I choose you Damon. It has always been you."

I squeezed my eyes shut to force the tears away.

"I brought Klaus." Elijah stood stiffly behind us. It was clear he had heard Elena's last statement.

"Oh Elijah. I…" Elena tried to stand and go to him but he walked to her first.

"I think I already knew my love. I saw it the first time when you woke as a vampire in that basement. Without hesitation you stepped in between us and risked your life to save him from my make shift dagger. And then again when you attacked Klaus to save Damon with no concern for your own life. You have never looked as intensely as I have seen you look at him today. Your love for him is all consuming. Don't be sorry for that. I only ever wanted you to be happy and cared for. I am sad that it isn't me who gets to care for you but I have seen the depths of Damon's love for you and I know you will be happy. I can walk away now knowing that you will be happy and that he will love you the way you deserve to be loved." He kissed her forehead softly.

"How did you get Klaus to agree to give her his blood?"

"I can be quite persuasive when needed." Elijah smiled mischievously. "It will take a few days for her to fully recover. She will need lots of rest and blood."

He slipped out of her mind then. She sighed sadly. "I hate hurting him. I wanted to do it so differently."

"It wouldn't have hurt any less if you had."

"I know but I feel like I owed it to him to do it better."

"If it makes you feel better I don't feel bad for him."

"Damon!" She tried to be mad but I heard her giggle.

"I am going to slip out of your mind now. I don't trust Klaus and I want to make sure I am there to protect you if need be."

"Ok." She smiled at me.

"I love you Elena Gilbert."

"And I love you Damon Salvatore."


End file.
